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I 


i 


NOTES  ON  BOLANDi-; 


OR, 


MR.    WBSLEY 


AND  THE 


Second  Work  of  Grace. 


BY 


REV.  R.  C.  HORNER,  B.O. 

Author  of  "  From  the  Altar  to  the  Upper  Room,''^  "  Bible  Assurance,'* 

"  Voice  Production^"  Etc, 


Introduction  by  Rev.  J.  V.  McDowell,  B.A. 


Boston  and  Chicago: 
iwE  IvIv^DONALD  &  <"^TT.T.  CO. 


Toronto : 

WILLIAM  BRIGGS, 

Wesley  Buildings. 


ft  AGS 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1893, 

By  R.  C.  HORNER, 

In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 

Entered,  according  to  the  Act  of  the  Parliament  of  Canada,  in  the  year  1893. 

By  R.  C.  HORNER, 
^,      In  the  Office  of  the  Minister  of  Agriculture,  at  Ottawa. 


PREFACE. 


OUR  object  in  writing  this  book  -has  been  to 
unmask  Mr.  Boland's  shrewd,  unscrupulous 
attempt  to  make  it  appear  that  Mr.  Wesley  gave  up 
the  doctrine  of  entire  sanctification  as  taught  by 
him  throughout  his  writings  and  sermons. 

He  has  dogmatically  affirmed  that  Mr.  Wesley 
renounced  his  belief  in  a  second  work  of  grace  in 
the  soul,  but  has  brought  forward  no  proof  what- 
ever to  sustain  his  assertion.  We  have  shown  that 
his  theory  is  contrary  to  all  Mr.  Wesley's  writings,  to 
the  Word  of  God,  and,  therefore,  extremely  dan- 
gerous. 

We  do  not  wish  any  reader  to  be  prejudicially  in- 
fluenced by  anything  contained  in  our  criticisms  that 
may  possess  the  semblance  of  severity.  We  have  had 
no  uncharitable  feelings  to  give  expression  to,  but 
have  realized  that  the  errors  contained  in  the 
"  Problem "  called  for  conscientious  and  straight- 
forward dealing. 

Wc  ask  all  to  examine  closely  r>nr  exposure  of  Mr. 
Boland's  ingenious,  but  nevertheless  shameless  mutil- 


PREFACE. 


ations  and  dexterous  combinations  of  Mr.  Wesley's 
writings,  Dr.  Clarke's  Commentary,  and  the  Word  of 

God. 

We  have  shown  that  while  Mr.  Boland's  reasoning 
is  logical  and  sound,  his  premises  are  wrong,  and 
that,    therefore,  his  conclusions    are,   of    necessity, 

spurious  and  false. 

The  Author. 


!   f 

f 

I 


1 


INTRODUCTION. 


EVERY  great  and  good  cause  must  encounter 
opposition.  In  the  nature  of  things,  it  would 
be  folly  to  look  for  anything  else.  History  abounds 
with  innumerable  proofs  of  this  fact.  The  cause  of 
holiness  is  no  exception  to,  but  one  of  the  most  con- 
spicuous illustrations  of,  this  universal  law.  That 
such  is  the  case  is  not  an  unmitigated  evil.  Opposi- 
tion frees  a  good  cause  of  its  weak  features  and 
imparts  to  it  a  robustness  that  it  could  not  otherwise 
possess. 

The  opposition  that  the  cause  of  holiness  has 
experienced  has  been  varied  in  its  character.  At 
times  it  has  been  open  and  full  of  malice.  Again,  it 
has  had  to  grapple  with  a  more  specious  and  covert 
antagonism.  Of  the  two,  the  latter  is  the  more 
to  be  feared.  Its  mode  of  attack  is  more  insidious 
and,  consequently,  more  liable  to  deceive  the 
unwary.  Some  theory,  bolstered  up  by  an  ingenious 
use  of  Scripture,  is  projected  into  the  arena  of 
religious  activity.  The  moral  poison  it  contains  is 
so  concealed  that  not  a  few  among  the  professedly 


6 


INTRODUCTION. 


'■ 

• 

1 

f 

f 

1  1 

• 

!  ' 

thoughtful  fail  to  detect  it,  and,  since  it  most  likely 
possesses  some  feature  congenial  to  their  inclinations, 
they  are  attracted  thereby  and  finally  become  its 
enthusiastic  upholders. 

The  book  entitled  *'The  Problem  of  Methodism," 
written  by  Rev.  J.  M.  Boland,  D.D.,  of  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  Church,  South,  some  years  ago,  is  of 
this  nature.  It  opposes  the  doctrine  of  holiness  as 
enunciated  by  Wesley  throughout  his  Hfe  and  up  to 
his  death,  as  well  as  the  standard  and  authoritative 
teaching  of  world-wide  Methodism  on  this  doctrine. 
In  doing  so,  the  author  promulgates  the  theory  that 
all  sin  is  eradicated  from  the  soul  at  the  crisis  of 
conversion,  a  theory  held  by  no  ecclesiastical  body  in 
the  world.  This  theory  further  teaches  that  holiness 
consists,  not  in  what  God  does  for  and  in  men,  but 
in  what  they  do  for  themselves,  subsequent  to  their 
conversion. 

Whatever  else  may  be  said  of  such  a  book  or  its 
author,  it  can  hardly  be  maintained  that  they  are 
overburdened  with  modesty.  Were  these  beliefs 
generally  received,  they  would  revolutionize  the 
doctrinal  systems  of  the  entire  Christian  world. 
Let  it  be  remembered  that  it  is  not  the  wild  halluci- 
nations of  some  mistaken  individual  or  deluded  sect 
that  the  "  Probl'?"^  "  ^f'fks  to  correct,  but  that  it 
aims  at  subverting  the  doctrine  of  holiness  as  taught 
by  Methodism,  and  also  at  changing  the  belief  of  the 
entire  Christian  Church,  as  to  when  sin  is  entirely 


INTKODUCTION. 


»> 


removed  from  the  soul.  When  we  are  asked,  appar- 
ently in  all  seriousness,  to  accept  such  teaching,  we 
naturally  pause  to  find  out  what  it  implies.  By 
carefully  investigating  these  demands,  we  find  that 
they  imply  that  we  must  believe  either  that  God 
gave  a  false  theory  of  holiness  to  John  Wesley,  or 
allowed  him  to  formulate  and  give  to  the  world  a 
theory  at  variance  with  divine  plans.  We  must 
further  believe  that  the  entire  Methodist  Church  has 
committed  the  huge  blunder  of  perpetuating  said 
error  in  her  standard  teachings,  and  that  now  we 
must  revise  our  doctrinal  beliefs.  This  will  forever 
destroy  the  boast  of  Methodism,  that  her  founder 
gave  to  the  Methodist  Church  a  system  of  doctrine 
that  her  ministers  could  preach,  and  expect  heaven 
to  own  and  bless  the  truth  declared.  It  implies  that 
we  must  assume  the  role  of  theological  tinkers 
and,  like  many  other  denominations,  wrangle  over  a 
revision  of  our  creed  instead  of  endeavoring  to  save 
a  lost  world.  Verily  its  meed  of  praise  to  our  fore- 
fathers is  not  lavish.  It  implies  that  the  best 
thought  of  as  godly  and  scholarly  men  as  the  last 
century  and  a  half  has  produced  must  stand  cor- 
rected by  the  author  of  the  "  Problem  of  Metho- 
dism." It  implies  that  the  Rev.  J.  M.  Boland  has 
been  raised  up  (bv  whom  we  do  not  know")  to  cor- 
rect the  doctrinal  belief  of  not  only  twenty-five 
millions  of  Methodists,  but  of  the  entire  Christian 
world. 


INTRODUCTION. 


•^^i 


•i 
i 


What  magnificent  audacity,  what  splendid  daring, 
what  unlimited  self-confidence  it  must  have  called 
for  to  have  launched  such  revolutionary  teaching 
upon  the  Christian  world  without  even  an  apology. 
We  doubt  if  the  entire  history  of  Christian  doctrine 
furnishes  an  illustration  of  anything  more  pre- 
sumptuous and  visionary  than  the  "  Problem."  The 
faith  that  could  believe  that  this  sporadic  fungus 
would  or  could  be  received  by  thinking  minds  may 
have  been  strong,  but  certainly  not  intelligent.  The 
discriminating  and  candid  reader  cannot  rise  from 
a  perusal  of  the/*  Problem  "  without  being  profoundly 
convinced  that  it  is  a  very  weak  book.  It  may  help 
to  confirm  a  certain  class  in  their  chosen  opinions 
and  lead  the  unwary  into  the  adoption  of  the  tenets 
it  promulgates.  But  most  certainly  it  is  not  destined 
to  play  any  positive  or  beneficent  part  in  the  spread 
or  establishment  of  any  phase  of  Christian  teaching 
or  life,  and  for  the  following  among  other  reasons. 

First,  the  book  contains  numberless  self-evident 
defects  that  partake  of  the  nature  of  artifice,  strat- 
agem, etc.  It  may  be  truthfully  affirmed  that  the 
author  appears  in  the  light  of  a  bungling  trickster. 
The  general  argument  by  which  he  supports  his 
theory  is  characterized  with  considerable  logical  con- 
sistency, but  the  writer  shifts  his  position  too  otten, 
distorts  history  to  such  an  extent,  and  manufactures 
faulty  premises  with  such  profusion  that  no  one  who 
examines  them,  or  attempts  to  verify  them,  will  even 


!|  ' 


INTRODUCXrON. 


9 


think  of  accepting  his  conclusions  as  valid.  At  one 
time  he  sets  forth  the  Son  of  God  as  being  capable 
of  being  tempted  and  having  a  susceptibility  to  sin, 
and  again,  when  he  has  different  purposes  to  serve,  he 
apparently  contradicts  this.  He  makes  sanctification 
a  work  of  God,  and  holiness  or  perfection  something 
man  attains  for  himself.  The  holiness  or  perfection 
of  the  Bible  is  a  perfection  of  love,  and  how  this  can 
be  obtained  by  man  himself  is  difficult  of  apprehen- 
sion. We  have  always  believed  that  perfect  love  is 
from  God.  He  strongly  contends  that  the  "  second 
blessing"  theory  has  no  scriptural  basis  and  with  equal 
vigor  declares  that  the  soul  is  cleansed  from  all  sin 
at  conversion.  Like  all  who  hold  this  view  he  fails 
to  furnish  what  is  demanded  from  adherents  of  the 
Wesleyan  doctrine,  viz.,  a  definite  scriptural  proof  for 
his  belief.  If  this  argument  has  any  force  against  one 
it  has  equal  force  against  the  other.  But  we  do  not 
believe  it  possesses  the  strength  that  is  claimed  for 
it.  If  no  religious  belief  is  to  be  adopted  but  that 
for  which  we  can  produce  definite  scriptural  state- 
ment, then  what  becomes  of  the  doctrines  of  original 
sin,  of  the  freedom  of  the  will,  of  infant  baptism, 
etc.  Such  a  stand  is  foolish,  puerile.  Divine  Revel- 
ation does  not  profess  to  enunciate  every  funda- 
m*>ntpl  Hnrtrinp  in  so  manv  words.  It  is  rhilHish  to 
expect  it  to  do  so.  It  comes  to  us  with  the  great 
doctrines  of  redemption  woven  and  interwoven  into  its 
every  fibre,  and  its  author  reasonably  expects  from 


^ 


r 

10 

INTRODUCTION. 

w 


liH 


1 1 


His  Church  a  rational  evohitioxi  of  the  doctrines  it 
contains.  We  are  among  those  who  believe  that 
that  church  has  come  a  thousand  times  nearer  the 
correct  statement  of  doctrine  on  the  points  under 
discussion  than  Dr.  Roland  has  come.  He  again  and 
again  falsely  states  the  issue  he  discusses,  and  gives 
a  meaning  to  certain  quotations  from  the  writings  of 
Wesley  which  no  friend  or  enemy  has  heretofore 
ever  conceived.  The  "  Problem "  abounds  with 
many  similar  inconsistencies,  all  of  which  hopelessly 
vitiate  his  argument  and  render  the  conclusions  of 
the  author  utterly  unreliable  in  the  estimation  of 
every  thoughtful  and  candid  reader. 

A  second  great  leading  defect  of  the  "  Problem  " 
is  that  the  author  repeatedly  begs  the  question  at 
issue.  He  again  and  again  assumes  that  which  he 
starts  out  to  prove.  An  author  with  a  high  moral 
and  benevolent  aim  before  him  never  resorts  to  this. 
If  his  object  cannot  be  attained  without  the  use  of 
such  tactics,  and  if  there  is  nothing  better  in  all  the 
range  of  history  and  argument  with  which  to  make 
good  his  contention,  he  scorns  to  adopt  this.  What- 
ever may  be  said  concerning  those  who  uphold  the 
Wesleyan  theory  of  holiness,  or  the  means  they 
adopt  in  doing  so,  it  cannot  be  truthfully  affirmed 
that  they  are  compelled  to  resort  to  this  kind  of  pro- 
cedure. There  are  thousands  of  Davids  in  their 
camp  who,  with  the  sling  of  divine  truth  and  a  pebble 
from   the   Kidron  of   entire  cleansing   could   bring 


M 


INTRODUCTION. 


11 


down  this  arrogant  modern  Philistine,  who  apparently 
defies  the  armies  of  the  living  God.  They  have  the 
standards  of  the  Methodist  Church,  they  have  the 
teaching  of  the  Word  of  God,  and  last  but  not  least 
they  have  the  experience  of  thousands  upon  thousands 
who  are  as  incapable  of  delusion  as  any  men  who  have 
ever  lived,  to  the  fact  that  God  does  *' speak  the 
second  time,  be  clean."  While  such  great  and  in- 
controvertible verities  abide  believers  in  the  Wesleyan 
theory  of  holiness  have  no  reason  for  alarm. 

Another  and  much  greater  defect  in  Mr.  Boland's 
book  is  the  entire  absence  of  a  true  spirit  of  benev- 
olence. It  has  no  soul.  Its  pages  are  barren  of  one 
desire,  to  lead  those  its  author  views  as  being  in 
error  into  the  light  he  professes  to  possess.  He 
disclaims  any  intention  of  even  attempting  to  con- 
vert any  from  the  great  error  into  which  he  maintains 
they  have  fallen.  This  is  a  strong  indication  that  the 
author  had  little  faith  in  his  own  theory.  It  is  one 
of  the  fundamental  laws  of  truth,  especially  of  that 
truth  that  stands  identified  with  the  salvation  of 
men  that  whoever  has  experienced  its  saving  power 
is  likewise  fired  with  an  insatiable  longing  to  see 
others  enter  into  the  possession  of  the  same  ex- 
perience. But  not  so  with  the  author  of  the 
"  Problem."  We  want  no  stronger  evidence  than  this 
of  the  fact  that  the  theory  he  has  espoused  and  that 
he  so  frantically  endeavors  to  uphold,  is  a  delusion 
and  a  snare.     Were  it  truth  God  would  be  in  it,  and 


=  ! 


H  ^ 


^f 


12 


INTRODUCTION. 


God  being  in  it  would  impel  him  to  greatly  desire 
others  to  possess  like  precious  faith,  especially  the 
deluded.  But  he  scorns  to  write  on  behalf  of  those 
whom  he  looks  upon  as  under  a  delusion.  We 
strongly  doubt  the  sincerity  of  the  writer.  Such  a 
book  and  such  a  writer  may  lay  claim  to  sincerity, 
but  it  is  the  sincerity  that  is  born  of  prejudice  and  a 
relentless  desire  to  antagonize  views  and  men  with 
whom  he  refuses  to  agree,  yet  disdains  to  bless  or 
€ven  desire  that  they  should  be  blessed  with  the  light 
he  professes  to  possess.  The  book  is  not  born  of 
the  spirit  of  philanthropy,  but  of  contention.  We 
search  in  vain  for  the  faintest  shadow  of  that  spirit 
which  permeates  the  writings  of  Wesley,  Fletcher 
and  Watson,  who  brought  to  light  the  glorious 
doctrine  of  complete  redemption  and  which  con- 
tinues, wherever  faithfully  preached,  to  be  the  power 
of  God  unto  a  full  salvation  to  all  who  believe  and 
receive  it. 

Perhaps  the  greatest  defect  of  the  book  is  that  it 
advocates  a  theory,  whose  history  proves  it  to  be 
at  variance  with  divine  verities,  plans  and  opera- 
tions. This  theory,  however  plausibly  sustained  by 
the  ingenious  use  of  Scripture  and  argumentative 
device,  has  yet  to  demonstrate  its  divine  origin  by 
producing  the  experience  and  life  of  holiness  in 
one  soul  and  the  witness  of  the  Spirit  to  that  fact. 
We  will  be  surprised  if  the  Judgment  Day  will  bring 
forth  one.     It  is  not  an  epoch-making  book.     When 


INTRODUCTION. 


18 


it  is  buried  a  million  fathoms  in  the  depths  of  a  past 
oblivion,  Wesley's  and  Fletcher's  writings  will  still 
continue  to  lead  thousands  to  the  Christ  who  saves  to 
the  uttermost,  and  saves  in  the  way  described  by 
these  men  of  God.  It  won't  avail  to  say  that  those 
who  have  found  the  experience,  and  have  been 
enabled  to  lead  the  life  of  holiness,  by  following  the 
teachings  of  the  Wesleyan  theory,  have  been  deluded. 
If  their  testimony  of  the  witness  of  the  Spirit  to  a 
clear  and  unmistakable  conversion  be  accepted, 
and  it  invariably  is,  it  is  the  blindest  prejudice  that 
refuses  to  believe  these  same  men,  when  they  testify 
to  a  subsequent  work  of  grace,  an  all-cleansing  work, 
wrought  by  and  attested  to  by  the  same  Divine 
Person.  Well  may  the  sincere  mind  hesitate  to 
accept  a  theory  of  divine  life  so  utterly  barren  of 
results  as  this.  The  Wesleyan  theory  of  entire  holi- 
ness has  proven  its  divine  origin,  and  continues  to 
prove  it  by  leading  souls  into  the  experience  it 
declares  to  be  pqipible  to  men.  Innumerable  wit- 
nesses rise  up  in  every  corner  of  the  earth  to  attest 
its  genuineness,  and  their  evidence  not  only  agrees 
with  regard  to  the  particulars  of  which  they  testify, 
but  it  harmonizes  with  the  theory  that  that  man  of  God 
flung  out  upon  a  sin-cursed  but  redeemed  world. 
The  Godhead  owns  it,  uses  it,  blesses  it,  and  works 
through  it  to  the  honor  and  glory  of  Him  who  died 
to  make  men  free.  The  divine  seal  is  stamped  upon 
it,  and  its  genuineness  is  proven  by  the  highest  sanc- 
tion in  the  universe. 


i 


i 


U| 


14 


INTRODUCTION. 


But  what  shall  be  said  of  a  theory,  however  idol- 
ized it  may  be  by  him  in  whose  brain  it  has  been 
hatched,  from  which  the  divine  approval,  though 
earnestly  coveted,  i  relentlessly  withheld,  and  with- 
out which  the  best  concerted  schemes  of  men  are 
vain.  Like  the  barren  fig  tree,  when  we  look  for 
that  which  it  ought  to  produce,  it  is  not  to  be  found. 
Its  earnest  admirers  have  been  digging  about  it  and 
nourishing  it  long  enough,  but  still  it  bears  nothing 
but  leaves.  Cut  it  down.  Why  cumbereth  it  the 
ground  ?  It  professes  to  be  the  Bible  theory  of  holi- 
ness, but  it  has  proven  itself  to  be  an  invention  of 
Satanic  ingenuity,  which  its  originator  knows,  which 
God  knows,  and  which  all  know  but  those  who 
frantically  cling  to  it,  is  intended  to  delude  the  souls 
of  men,  and  prevent  them  from  entering  into  an 
experience  of  the  deep  things  of  God. 

We  have  extended  our  remarks  in  introducing  this 
trenchant  and  timely  refutation  of  the  "  Problem  " 
for  the  purpose  of  calling  the  attei|tion  of  the  reader 
to  some  of  the  general  defects  that  characterize  Mr. 
Boland's  book>  upon  which  Mr.  Horner  has  not 
delayed  to  dwell.  The  great  fundamental  error  of 
the  "  Problem,"  its  shrewd  but  reckless  mutilations 
of  Biblical  and  other  references,  together  with  the 
many  plausible  but  misleading  tenets  it  contains,  are 
exposed,  and  conclusively  refuted  in  the  pages  of 
this  critique  by  a  master  hand.  The  perusal  of  this 
work  will  serve  to  strengthen  and  confirm  the  saints 


INii 


i  t 


INTRODUCTION. 


16 


in  the  great  doctrine  which  God  gave  by  the  hand  of 
Wesley  to  the  sons  of  men,  and  we  trust  will  materi- 
ally aid  in  turning  aside  the  poisoned  arrows  the 
much-flattered  but  fallacious  *'  Problem  "  has  hurled 
at  the  teachings  and  memory  of  one  whose  shoe's 
latchet,  the  author  has  proven  himself  too  unworthy, 
though  he  realizes  it  not,  to  unloose.  We  introduce 
the  reader  to  the  following  pages,  feeling  assured 
that  when  he  has  gone  through  them,  he  will  agree 
with  us  that  it  is  too  late  in  the  day  for  any  man, 
obscure  or  renowned,  unmoved  and  uncalled  by  God 
to  such  a  work,  to  upset  the  doctrine,  which  the 
Methodist  Church  has  brought  into  existence  to  give 
to  the  world. 

J.  V.  McDowell. 


Hi 


1! 


il 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


A  General  Survey  of  the  Subject. 

BoLAND,  p.  26.  —  "  While  John  Wesley  did 
more  than  any  other  man  to  revive  primitive 
Christianity  and  to  clear  up  the  muddy  theology 
of  the  dark  ages,  yet  it  is  a  remarkable  fact 
that  he  failed  to  harmonize  his  theory  of  the 
divine  life  at  some  points." 

Note.  —  It  requires  no  great  ability  or  learn- 
ing to  make  assertions.  Mr.  Boland  accom- 
panies the  above  assertion  with  no  proof  what- 
ever. We  can  only  receive  it  as  a  presumptuous 
statement,  unsupported  by  a  single  fact,  illustra- 
tion or  reference.  No  thoughtful  person  will 
accept  such  unverified  statements.  Mr.  Boland 
must  have  relied  immensely  upon  the  credulity 
of  his  readers. 

Boland,  p.  27.  —  "The  modern  Methodist 
fathers  and  authors  who  adopted  Mr.  Wesley's 

(17) 


I  'I 


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ill 

m 


I! 


18 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


theory,  have  not  only  failed  to  harmonize  Mr. 
Wesley  with  himself,  but  they  have  'found  no 
end  in  wandering  mazes  lost.'  " 

Note.  —  The  modern  Methodist  fathers  and 
authors  have  not  said  so.  They  agree  perfectly 
with  him  and  are  in  harmony  with  each  other. 
Does  Mr.  Boland  imap^ine  that  because  he  says 
so,  that  we  are  obliged  to  accept  his  statement .? 
It  is  difficult  to  believe  that  such  reckless  and 
unsupported  assertion  is  the  product  of  a  candid 
mind. 

BoLAND,  p.  27. — "The  great  mistake  Mr. 
Wesley  made  was  in  adopting  the  *  residue 
theory  of  regeneration,'  and  the  *  second  change 
theory  of  sanctification.'  " 

Note.  —  What  Mr.  Boland  calls  his  mistake 
caused  Mr.  Wesley  to  pray,  deny  himself,  fast, 
and  repent  of  the  evil  tendencies  of  his  nature. 
He  thinks  that  because  Mr.  Wesley  was  con- 
verted under  the  teaching  of  the  Moravians 
that  he  should  have  accepted  their  doctrine. 
They  taught  "that  we  are  sanctified  wholly  the 
moment  we  are  justified,  and  are  neither  more 
nor  less  holy  to  the  day  of  our  death  ;  entire 
sanctification  and  entire  justification  being  in 
one  and  the  same  instant."  Some  of  us  are 
thankful  to  Almighty  God  that  he  saved  the 
founder  of  Methodism  from  such  a  delusion. 


i 

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I 

NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


19 


;f- 


BoLAND,  P.  27.  —  "The  next  mistake  was  in 
confounding  *  sanctification  with  Christian  per- 
fection.' " 

Note.  —  This  would  have  been  a  grave  mis- 
take if  it  had  been  made.  That  Mr.  Wesley 
did  not  make  this  mistake  is  clearly  proven  by 
his  definite  statements  on  sanctification  and 
entire  sanctification.  Mr.  Boland  has  not  at- 
tempted to  make  good  his  contention  by  any 
un mutilated  statement  made  by  Mr.  Wesley. 
We  cannot  refrain  from  asking,  How  can  it  be 
possible  that  a  Methodist  minister  could  be 
guilty  of  making  such  a  mistake  as  Mr.  Boland 
has  made  here.^ 

Comment.  —  i.  Every  candidate  for  the 
Methodist  Ministry  is  required  to  be  able  to 
define  the  difference  between  sanctification  and 
entire  sanctification.  2.  No  man  can  enter 
the  Methodist  Ministry  without  passing  a  satis- 
factory examination  on  Mr.  Wesley's  "  Plain 
Account  of  Christian  Perfection."  3.  In  the 
"  Plain  Account"  he  teaches  that  sanctification 
commences  when  the  soul  is  regenerated ;  and 
that  Christian  perfection  has  been  reached  when 
the  soul  is  entirely  sanctified. 

The  following  is  Mr.  Wesley's  statement  of 
our  doctrine  on  these  points  : 

"Our  fourth  Conference  began  on  Tuesday, 


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20 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


June  the  i6th,  1747.  As  several  persons  were 
present,  who  did  not  believe  the  doctrine  of 
Perfection,  we  agreed  to  examine  it  from  the 
foundation. 

*'  In  order  to  do  this,  it  was  asked,  How  much 
is  allowed  by  our  brethren  who  differ  from  us 
with  regard  to  entire  sanctification  ? 

"A.  They  grant  (i)  that  every  one  must  be 
entirely  sanctified  in  the  article  of  death.  (2) 
That  till  then  a  believer  daily  grows  in  grace, 
comes  nearer  and  nearer  to  Perfection.  (3) 
That  we  ought  to  be  continually  pressing  after 
it,  and  to  exhort  all  others  so  to  do. 

"  Q.     What  do  we  allow  them  ? 

**A.  We  grant,  (i)  That  many  of  those 
who  have  died  in  the  faith,  yea,  the  greater 
part  of  those  we  have  known,  were  not  perfected 
in  love  till  a  little  before  their  death.  (2) 
That  the  term  sanctified  is  continually  applied 
by  St.  Paul  to  all  that  were  Justified.  (3) 
That  by  this  term  alone,  he  rarely,  if  ever, 
means  saved  from  all  sin.  (4)  That,  conse- 
quently, it  is  not  proper  to  use  it  in  that  sense, 
without  adding  the  word  wholly,  entirely,  or 
the  like.  (5)  That  the  inspired  writers  al- 
most continually  speak  of  or  to  those  who  were 
Justified,  but  very  rarely  of  or  to  those  who 
were  wholly  sanctified.    (6)    That,  consequently, 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


21 


i 


it  behooves  us  to  speak  almost  continually  of  the 
state  of  Justification ;  but  more  rarely,  at  *  least, 
in  full  and  explicit  terms,  concerning  entire 
sanctification. '"     Vol.  xi.,  p.  388. 

"Our  second  Conference  began  August  i, 
1745.  The  next  morning  we  spoke  of  sanctifi- 
cation    as    follows:  — 

"  Q.     When  does  inward  sanctification  begin  ? 

"A.  In  the  moment  a  man  is  Justified. 
(Yet  sin  remains  in  him,  yea,  the  seed  of  all 
sin,  till  he  is  sanctified  throughout.)  From 
that  time  a  believer  gradually  dies  to  sin  and 
grows  in  grace."     Vol.  xi.,  p.   387. 

"Q.  When  may  a  person  judge  himself  to 
have  attained  this  ? 

**  A.  When,  after  having  been  fully  convinced 
of  inbred  sin,  by  a  far  deeper  and  clearer  con- 
viction than  that  he  experienced  before  Justifi- 
cation, and  after  having  experienced  a  gradual 
mortification  of  it,  .he  experiences  a  total  death 
to  sin,  and  an  entire  renewal  in  the  love  and 
image  of  God,  so  as  to  rejoice  evermore,  to  pray 
without  ceasing,  and  in  everything  to  give 
thanks,  not  that  to  feel  all  love  and  no  sin  is  a 
sufficient  proof.  Several  have  experienced  this 
fpr  a  time,  before  their  souls  were  fully  renewed ; 
none,  therefore,  ought  to  believe  that  the  work  is 
done,   till  there  is  added  the  testimony  of  the 


I 


Ill* 


III 


ii 


H 


22 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


Spirit  witnessing  his  entire  sanctification,  as 
clear  as  his  Justification."     Vol.  xi.,  p.  401. 

*'  As  we  do  not  then  feel  any  evil  in  our  hearts, 
we  readily  imagine  none  is  there.  Nay,  some 
well-meaning  men  have  imagined  this  not  only 
at  that  time,  but  ever  after ;  having  persuaded 
themselves  that  when  they  were  justified,  they 
were  entirely  sanctified."  Sermon  14,  p.  157. 

'*  Let  us,  therefore,  hold  fast  the  sound  doc- 
trine *  once  delivered  to  the  saints,'  and  de- 
livered down  by  them,  with  the  written  word, 
to  all  succeeding  generations  :  That,  although 
we  are  renewed,  cleansed,  purified,  sanctified, 
the  moment  we  truly  believe  in  Christ,  yet 
we  are  not  then  renewed,  cleansed,  purified 
altogether ;  but  the  flesh,  the  evil  nature,  still 
remains,  (though  subdued)  and  wars  against 
the  Spirit."     Sermon  13,  p.  156. 

7.  The  candid  reader  cannot  fail  to  see  that 
Mr.  Wesley  did  not  confound  sanctification 
with  Christian  Perfection.  He  did  call  entire 
sanctification  Christian  Perfection.  How  would 
it  be  possible  for  Mr.  Boland,  if  he  had  read  Mr. 
Wesley's  utterances  as  he  should  have  done, 
to   so   shamefully    misrepresent    Mr.  Wesley  .-* 

Boland,  p.  28. — "  Sanctification  is  moral 
purity ;  Perfection  is  Christian  Maturity." 

Note.  —  i.  Sanctification  is  not  "  Moral  pur- 


iW 


I 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


23 


pur- 


ity" in  the  sense  in  which  Mr.  Koland  uses  the 
term.  He  positively  affirms  that  God  can  do 
nothing  more  in  the  soul  that  has  been  sancti- 
fied. He  denies  totally  the  possibility  and 
necessity  of  a  **  Second  change."  He  says  re- 
generation is  a  complete  work  **  admitting  of 
no  degrees." 

2.  The  Apostle  Paul  wrote  to  the  Church  at 
Corinth  under  inspiration  :  —  *'  Unto  the  Church 
of  God  which  is  at  Corinth  to  them  that  are 
sanctified  in  Christ  Jesus."  (i  Cor.  i:  2) 
In  3  :  3,  he  says  :  "  For  ye  are  yet  carnal ;  for 
whereas  there  is  among  you  envying  and  strife, 
and  divisions,  are  ye  not  carnal,  and  walk  as 
men .?  " 

3.  Then  according  to  Mr.  Boland's  definition 
of  sanctification,  the  Christians  at  Corinth  were 
"  morally  pure"  while  there  was  among  them 
envying,  and  strife,  and  divisions. 

4.  Regeneration  being  a  complete  work  and 
"  admitting  of  no  degrees,"  the  Christians  at 
Corinth  could  not  experience  any  further  change. 

5.  Mr.  Boland  says  that  **  Perfection  is  Chris- 
tian maturity,  the  result  of  growth  in  grace." 
Then  there  must  be  no  perfection  in  this  life, 
unless  we  cease  to  grow.  If  we  reach  a  point 
where  we  cease  to  grow,  then  we  must  be  abso- 
lutely perfect.    If  we  become  absolutely  perfect 


m 


ll 


24 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


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then  we  are  equal  with  God.  This  is  absolute 
nonsense. 

BoLAND,  p.  28. — "  Regeneration  is  a  complete 
work  in  its  nature,  and  implies  sanctification,  or 
moral  purity,  while  Christian  perfection  is  a 
state  of  freedom  from  sin,  and  includes  a  ma- 
turity of  the  Christian  graces." 

Note.  —  This  "  moral  purity"  is  such  a  per- 
fection, according  to  Mr.  Boland's  definition, 
that  it  utterly  excludes  the  necessity  of  a  second 
change,  and  yet,  in  the  next  breath,  he  tells  us 
that  "  Christian  Perfection  is  a  state  of  freedom 
from  sin,  and  includes  a  maturity  of  the  Christ- 
ian graces." 

Comment.  —  i.  Then,  according  to  Mr. 
Boland's  definitions,  when  a  man  is  regenerated 
he  is  made  morally  pure ;  and  when  he  has  ar- 
rived at  Christian  perfection  he  has  "  freedom 
from  sin." 

2.  By  an  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit  a  man 
is  born  again  and  is  "  morally  pure,"  and  by  a 
growth  in  grace  he   obtains  a  "  freedom  from 


sm." 

3.  If  being  made  "  free  from  sin"  is  greater 
than  **  moral  purity,"  growth  must  have  done 
more  for  him  than  the  new  birth. 

4.  What  does  Mr.  Boland  mean  by  the  term 
**  moral  purity"  as  connected  with  regeneration, 


W^    - 


NOTES  ON   BOLAND. 


26 


when,  at  the  same  time,  he  positively  declares 
that  "  Christian  Perfection  is  a  state  of  Treedom 
from  sin  ?  "  According  to  Mr.  Boland,  the  soul 
is  "  morally  pure"  at  regeneration,  but  not  free 
from  sin. 

BoLAND,  p.  29.  —  "  The  one  is  instantaneous 
and  complete,  admitting  of  no  degrees ;  the 
other  is  progressive  —  a  growth." 

Note.  —  According  to  Mr.  Boland's  own  defi- 
nitions regeneration  is  not  salvation  from  sin 
in  any  sense,  i.  He  says  that  regeneration  **  is 
instantaneous  and  complete,  admitting  of  no  de- 
grees." And  2.  Christian  perfection  is  a  state 
of  "freedom  from  sin."  3.  Then  regeneration 
makes  a  man  *'  morally  pure,"  and  "  Christian 
perfection"  saves  him  from  sin.  4.  That  is,  re- 
generation does  nothing  more  for  him  than 
give  him  power  to  grow,  and  he  commences 
and  continues  until  he  grows  all  the  sin  out  of 
his  nature.  According  to  this  teaching  he 
would  be  lost  should  death  overtake  him  be- 
fore he  had  time  to  grow  all  the  sin  out  of 
him. 

BoLAND,  p.  30.  — "  In  reading  up  on  this 
subject,  I  have  been  amazed  to  see  how  this 
theory  of  the  divine  life  has  led  many  to  minify 
regeneration  and  magnify  sanctification." 

Note.  —  No  doubt  many  who  have  written  on 


if 


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26 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


this  subject  have  minified  regeneration  and 
magnified  sanctification,  but  it  does  not  follow 
that  because  they  have  done  so  that  Mr.  Wes- 
ley's writings  on  the  subject  led  them  to  do  so  ; 
nor  is  it  true  that  in  doing  so,  they  followed 
Mr.  Wesley.  Mr.  Boland  does  not  tell  us  that 
they  followed  Mr.  Wesley's  teaching.  He  only 
says  that  this  theory  of  the  divine  life  led  them 
to  do  so.  How  does  he  know  what  led  them 
to  minify  the  one  and  magnify  the  other  ? 
Might  it  not  be  that  they  failed,  as  Mr.  Boland 
seems  to  have  done,  to  catch  the  true  import 
of  Mr.  Wesley's  teaching.-*  The  truth  is,  Mr. 
Wesley  is  no  more  accountable  for  their  errors 
than  he  is  for  Mr.  Boland's  delusion. 

2.  Mr.   Boland   quotes  from    Mr.  Wesley  in 
other   places,  and   attempts   to   prove   that  he 
taught  Christian  perfection  by  his  strong  state- 
ments on  the  work  of  regeneration.     This  fling 
'in  the  other  direction  comes  with  bad  grace. 

3.  A  careful  reading  of  Mr.  Wesley's  writings 
would  convince  any  candid  enquirer  after  the 
whole  truth  on  this  subject,  that  his  definition 
of  regeneration  implies  as  high  a  state  of  Christ- 
ian experience  as  Mr.  Boland's  definition  of 
Christian  perfection  implies :  also,  that  Mr. 
Wesley  taught  and  showed  the  necessity  of  a 
second  work  of  grace  to  be  wrought  in  the  soul 
subsequent  to  regeneration. 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


27 


BoLAND,  P.  31.—  "  I  would  like  to  see  one  of 
our  modern  *  Holiness  conventions '  harmonize 
the  following  utterances  of  Mr.  Wesley  : " 


1.  **  By  all  the  grace 
given  at  Justification, 
we  cannot  wholly 
cleanse  either  our 
hearts  or  hands.  Most 
sure  we  cannot,  till  it 
shall  please  our  Lord 
to  speak  to  our  hearts 
again,  to  speak  the 
second  time,  *  Be  clean !' 
and  then  only  the  lep- 
rosy is  cleansed.  Then 
only  the  carnal  mind  is 
destroyed,  and  inbred 
sin  subsists  no  more." 

2.  "  If  there  be  no 
second  change,  no  in- 
stantaneous deliver- 
ance after  Justification, 
then  we  must  remain 
full  of  sin  till  death." 

*'  Certainly,  sanctifi- 
cation  is  an  instantane- 
deliverance    from 


ous 


all  sin 


11 


1.  "To  be  born  again 
is  to  be  inwardly 
changed  from  ail  sin- 
fulness to  all  holiness." 
'*  He  is  created  anew 
in  Christ  Jesus.  He 
is  washed,  he  is  sancti- 
fied, his  heart  is  purified 
by  faith ;  he  is  cleansed 
from  the  corruption 
that  is  in  the  world." 
**  That  which  is  born 
of  the  Spirit  is  spirit- 
ual, heavenly,  divine, 
like  its  author." 

2.  "Every  one  that 
hath  Christ  in  him,  the 
hope  of  glory,  is  saved 
from  all  sin,  from  all 
unrighteousness."  *'It 
is  undeniably  true  that 
sanctification  is  a  pro- 
ecressive  work  carried 
on  in  the  soul  by  slow 
degrees." 


"a 


i 


*"Tfr 


ti 


i  ' 


I  i 


,  i 

1 

■    ■  I 

1 

; 

1 
i 

} 

1 

hi  \ 

1          \ 

:^l:!!  ii 

1'  '  ■ 

i'. 

i, 

1           .  :         ; ' 
1          f        ji 

1! 

1  ■ 
] 

I            1 

i 

in  Hii 

.  i 

.  ,     !        ;! 

1 

\ 

■^1    r 

! 

1  ' 

28 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


Note.  —  It  does  not  require  a  "  Holiness 
convention"  to  discover:  i.  That  these  sen- 
tences have  been  taken  from  different  parts  of 
Mr.  Wesley's  works. 

2.  Any  person  who  is  familiar  with  Mr. 
Wesley's  doctrinal  sermons  and  his  notes  on 
the  New  Testament  may  readily  see  that  these  are 
mutilated  sentences.  3.  Any  person  who  loves 
the  truth  could  have  no  other  feeling  than  that  of 
pity  for  a  minister  of  the  gospel  who  would  stoop 
so  low  as  to  garble  the  writings  of  the  honored 
dead,  in  order  that  he  might  make  them  ap- 
pear ridiculous.  If  this  is  the  course  that  is 
found  necessary  to  adopt  in  the  attempt  to  set 
aside  Mr.  Wesley's  teaching  on  the  doctrine 
of  Christian  Perfection,  we  have  little  to  fear 
of  it  being  accomplished. 

4.  It  may  be  said  that,  "these  sentences 
were  gathered  from  other  works,  and  were  quo- 
tations used  by  other  men."  That  would  not 
justify  Mr.  Boland  in  using  them  here. 

5.  The  following  is  what  should  appear  in  the 
column  on  the  left  hand  side  of  Mr.  Boland's 
book,  and  is  here  given  as  it  is  found  in  Mr. 
Wesley's  sermon  before  mutilated  by  Mr. 
Boland.  "By  all  the  grace  which  is  given  at 
Justification  we  cannot  extirpate  them.  Though 
we  watch  and  pray   ever  so  much,  we  cannot 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


29 


ioliness 
ise  sen- 
parts  of 

ith  Mr. 
lotes  on 
;heseare 
ho  loves 
n  that  of 
lid  stoop 
honored 
hem  ap- 

that  is 
)t  to  set 
doctrine 

to  fear 


ar  in  the 
Boland's 
fl  in  Mr. 

by  Mr. 
given  at 

Though 
2  cannot 


■I 


wholly  cleanse  either  our  hearts  or  hands,  most 
sure  we  cannot,  till  it  shall  please  our  Lord  to 
speak  to  our  hearts  again,  to  speak  the  second 
time,  *  Be  clean  !  *  And  then  only  the  leprosy 
is  cleansed.  Then  only  the  root  of  evil,  the 
carnal  mind,  is  destroyed ;  and  inbred  sin 
subsists  no  more.  But  if  there  be  no  such 
second  change,  if  there  be  no  instantaneous  de- 
liverance after  Justification,  if  there  be  none 
but  a  gradual  work  of  God,  (that  there  is  a 
gradual  work  none  denies)  then  we  must  be 
content,  as  well  as  we  can,  to  remain  full  of  sin 
till  death."     Sermon  14,  p.  165. 

Any  person  may  see  at  once  that  this  column 
would  have  been  in  perfect  harmony  with  the 
other,  if  Mr.  Boland  had  not  mutilated  it.  Mr. 
Wesley  says  in  it  that  there  is  a  gradual  work. 
The  mystery  is,  how  any  man  could  say  that 
he  was  '*  in  harmony  with  our  standards  so  far 
as  they  are  in  harmony  with  themselves"  after 
deliberately  mutilating  them  to  suit  his  selfish 
purposes.  Why  did  not  Mr.  Boland  refer  us  to 
Mr.  Wesley's  works  from  which  he  took  his 
quotations  ^  That  would  expose  his  method  of 
manipulating  passages  of  which  a  Christian 
man  should  be  ashamed. 

7.  1  he  rest  of  this  column  is  a  mutilation  of 
the  follov/ing :  **Certainly,  sanctification  (in  the 


a^i 


I'll' 


30 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


Illi 


!!■ 


t 


|i 


1  f   • 

i 
■i 

proper  sense)  is  'an  instantaneous  deliverance 
from  all  sin,'  and  includes  an  instantaneous  power 
then  given  always  to  cleave  to  God.'  "  Vol.  xii., 
p.  207. 

8.  We  call  attention  now  to  the  other  column. 
The  first  sentence  is  taken  from  Mr.  Wesley's 
note  on  John  3:  7,  "To  be  born  again  is  to  be 
inwardly  changed  from  all  sinfulness  to  all  holi- 
ness." This  is  Mr.  Wesley's  definition  of  repent- 
ance as  given  on  Matt.  3:8.  "A  change  of 
heart  (and  consequently  of  life;  from  all  sin  to 
all  holiness." 

Mr.  Boland  has  taken  Mr.  Wesley's  definition 
of  repentance,  and  thought  it  was  a  definition 
of  holiness.  He  seems  not  to  know  the  differ- 
ence between  a  definition  of  repentance,  and  a 
definition  of  holiness,  and  yet  he  has  presumpt- 
ion enough  to  write  a  book  and  call  it  "The 
Problem  of  Methodism." 

9.  His  next  selection  in  this  column  is  taken 
from  Mr.  Wesley's  sermon  on  "  Sin  in  be- 
lievers." "  He  is  created  anew  in  Christ  Jesus. 
He  is  washed,  he  is  sanctified.  His  heart  is 
purified  by  faith,  he  is  cleansed  from  the 
corruption  that  is  in  the  world." 

Mr.  Boland  has  given  this  part  of  Mr. 
Wesley's  paragraph ;  attempting  thereby  to 
prov«  that  he  taught  here  that  when  the  soul  is 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


31 


iterance 
s  power 
lo\.  xii., 

:olumn. 
Lesley's 
s  to  be 
all  holi- 
repent- 
inge  of 
1  sin  to 

ifinition 
sfinition 
e  differ- 
e,  and  a 
esumpt- 
it  "The 

•<■ 
is  taken 
1  in  be- 
lt Jesus, 
heart  is 
om    the 


regenerated  that  inward  sin  is  completely  re- 
moved. We  will  quote  the  rest  of  the  paragraph 
and  it  will  explain  what  Mr.  Wesley  believed  and 
taught.  "  He  is  *  created  anew  in  Christ  Jesus ' : 
His  is  washed,  he  is  sanctified.  His  heart 
is  purified  by  faith  ;  he  is  cleansed  *  from  the 
corruption  that  is  in  the  world  ; '  *  the  love  of  God 
is  shed  abroad  in  his  heart  by  the  Holy  Ghost 
which  is  given  unto  him.*  And  so  long  as  he 
walketh  in  love,  (which  he  may  always  do)  he 
worships  God  in  Spirit  and  in  truth.  He  keepeth 
the  commandments  of  God,  and  doeth  those 
things  that  are  pleasing  in  his  sight ;  so  exercis- 
ing himself  as  to  'have  a  conscience  void  of 
offense,  toward  God  and  toward  man : '  and  he 
has  power  both  over  outward  and  inward  sin, 
even  from  the  moment  he  is  justified."  Sermon 
13,  p.  146. 

Mr.  Wesley  was  careful  to  say  that  a  man 
had  power  over  inward  sin  —  and  thereby 
declared  that  sin  remained  in  him. 

10.  The  next  selection  in  his  column  is  taken 
from  Mr.  Wesley's  note  on  John  3  : 6. 
"  That  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spiritual, 
heavenly,  divine,  like  its  author." 

Mr.  Boland  has  changed  this  also  from  "  that 
which  is  born  of  the  Sprit  is  spirit  — is  spiritual, 
heavenly,  divine,  like  its  author."     Mr.  Wesley 


tl 

I 


H 


1, 


i! 


!l 


I 


i 

1   . 

':   n     , 

Hit  III 


i:      '1 

t     l            Ml 

i  iti 

\    yi  > 

lii 

i 

■ 

,1 

1  i 

.ilii 

82 


NOTES    ON   BOLAND. 


did  not  say  entirely  spiritual,  entirely  heavenly, 
entirely  divine,  entirely  like  its  author.  If  he 
had,  then  it  could  be  truthfully  said  that  he  had 
contradicted  himself.  Mr.  Wesley  was  careful  to 
make  this  distinction  in  his  teaching.  "  He  is 
saved  from  all  sin :  yet  not  entirely ;  it  remains, 
though  it  does  not  reign."  "  He  has  power  both 
over  outward  and  inward  sin." 

II.  The  next  sentence  in  this  column  we  can- 
not find  in  Mr.  Wesley's  works.  We  presume 
that  it  is  so  mutilated  that  it  could  not  be  recog- 
nized by  any  one  in  reviewing  Mr.  Wesley's  works. 
*'  The  next  sentence  in  rnis  column  is  : —  "  It 
is  undeniably  true  that  sanctification  is  a  pro- 
gressive work,  carried  on  in  the  soul  by  slow 
degrees." 

Mr.  Boland  constructed  this  sentence  out  of 
a  paragraph  in  Mr.  Wesley's  sermon  on  the 
"  New  Birth,"  p.  74.  It  reads  as  follows  :  "To 
waive  several  other  weighty  objections  which 
might  be  made  to  that  tract,  thib  is  a  palpable  one. 
It  all  along  speaks  of  regeneration  as  a  progres- 
sive work,  carried  on  in  the  soul  by  slow  degrees, 
from  the  time  of  our  first  turning  to  God.  This 
is  undeniably  true  of  sanctification ;  but  of  re- 
generation, the  new  birth,  it  is  not  true.  This  is 
a  part  of  sanctification,  not  the  whole ;  it  is  the 
gate  to  it,  the  entrance  into  it." 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


33 


javenly, 
If  he 
he  had 
.ref  ul  to 
**He  is 
emains, 
/er  both 

we  can- 
presume 
e  recog- 
s  works. 
-  "It 
3  a  pro- 
by  slow 

e  out  of 
on  the 


rs 


(( 


To 

5  which 
ible  one. 
progres- 
degrees, 
This 
it  of  re- 
This  is 
it  is  the 


12.  Mr.  Wesley  teaches  all  through  his  works 
that  there  is  a  gradual  work  which  precedes  and 
follows  entire  sanctification. 

We  have  been  sorry  to  see  that  Mr.  Boland 
has  mutilated,  perverted  and  corrupted  Mr. 
Wesley's  clear  teaching  to  make  up  this  double 
column.  We  presume  that  prejudice  caused 
him  to  do  so,  and  as  a  result  the  unwary  are  de- 
ceived. 

His  object  was  to  make  it  appear  that  Mr. 
Wesley  contradicted  himself.  Such  procedure, 
we  presume,  is  well  calculated  to  arouse  dis- 
pleasure or  contempt.  We  have  nothing  but 
pity  for  him  who  can  stray  from  the  path  of 
honor  so  far  as  to  become  responsible  for  such. 

Boland,  p.  32. —  "After  reading  the  above 
deliverances,  and  many  more  of  the  same  im- 
port, we  are  prepared  to  hear  him  say  :  *  Perhaps 
I  have  an  exceedingly  complex  idea  of  sanctifi- 
cation ! '  '* 

Note.  —  Mr.  Wesley  did  not  say  that  he  had 
"  an  exceedingly  complex  idea  of  sanctification." 
What  he  said  can  not,  with  fairness,  be  so 
interpreted.  We  must  look  at  the  paragraph 
where  these  words  are  found. 

"  Sun.,  December  2,  I  was  with  two  persons 
who  believe  they  are  saved  from  all  sin.  Be  it 
so,  or  not,  why  should   we  not   rejoice  in  the 


li 


fi 


34 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


M:i;i 


I 


\\ 


i 

i      { 


work  of  God,  so  far  as  it  is  unquestionably 
wrought  in  them  ?  For  instance,  I  ask  John  C, 
*  Do  you  pray  always  ?  Do  you  rejoice  in  God 
every  moment  ?  Do  you  in  everything  give 
thanks  ?  In  loss  ?  In  pain  ?  In  sickness, 
weariness,  disappointment  ?  Do  you  desire 
nothing  ?  Do  you  fear  nothing  ?  Do  you  feel 
the  love  of  God  continually  in  your  heart  ? 
Have  you  a  witness  in  whatever  you  speak  or 
do,  that  it  is  pleasing  to  God  ? '  If  he  can 
solemnly  and  deliberately  answer  in  the  affirm- 
ative, why  do  I  not  rejoice  and  praise  God  on 
his  behalf  ?  Perhaps,  because  I  have  an  exceed- 
ing complex  idea  of  sanctification,  or  a  sanctified 
man.  And  so,  for  fear  he  should  not  have  at- 
tained all  I  include  in  that  idea,  I  cannot  rejoice 
in  what  he  has  attained."  Journal  Vol.  i.,  p. 
476. 

Comment.  — i.  From  this  short  sentence, 
taken  from  this  paragraph  by  Mr.  Boland,  he  has 
eliminated  the  word  "  because." 

2.  Mr.  Wesley  teaches  in  this  paragraph, 
that  those  who  cannot  accept  the  testimony  of 
a  man  who  can  faithfully  answer  the  questions 
contained  in  this  paragraph,  must  have  "  an 
exceeding  complex  idea  of  sanctification  or  a 
sanctified  man." 

3.  Any  intelligent  man  in  reading  this  entire 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


35 


quotation  can  see  that  Mr.  Boland  completely 
misrepresents  Mr.  Wesley.  If  I  say  he  did  it 
unintentionally  I  reflect  upon  his  intelligence, 
if  I  say  intentionally,  I  reflect  upon  his  candor. 
I,  therefore,  prefer  the  former  as  the  more  char- 
itable. 

4.  Mr.  Wesley  frequently  met  his  societies 
and  tested  them  with  these  or  similar  questions  ; 
and  deliberately  affirmed  the  number,  he  be- 
lieved, who  had  the  experience  of  entire  sancti- 
fication. 

THE   TWOFOLD    NATURE    OF    MAN. 

Boland,  p.  34. —  '*  Every  man,  and,  of  course, 
every  Christian,  has  at  least  two  natures." 

Note:  —  Mr.  Boland  has  borrowed  a  chapter 
from  heathen  philosophy  for  a  basis  on  which 
to  work  —  a  foundation  for  his  fabric. 

Comment.  —  It  is  not  true  that  every  man 
has  two  natures.  This  is  heathen  philosophy 
adopted  by  imputationists  to  apologize  for  their 
carnality.  The  God  man,  Jesus  Christ,  is  the 
only  person  who  ever  lived  who  had  two  natures. 
He  had  a  perfect  human  nature  and  a  perfect 
divine  nature. 

Boland,  p.  36.  —  **  The  second  theory  is  sup- 
posed to  be  set  forth  in  the  sixth  chapter  of 
Romans  and  other  passages,  where  the  Christian 
life  is  represented  as  a  *  crucifixion  of  the  old 
man,'  and  a  *  death  of  sin.'  " 


u 


hi 

m 
't  I 


111 


1 


36 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


1 

r 
1 

ii 

i 

1 

1 

Note.  — The  Bible  teaching  on  this  point  is 
very  plain,  i.  When  the  soul  is  regenerated 
the  "  old  man  is  crucified  with  him,  that  the 
body  of  sin  might  be  (not  is)  destroyed."  2. 
This  crucifixion  commences  when  the  soul  is 
born  of  God,  and  entire  sanctification  is  the  total 
death  of  the  man  of  sin  and  the  entire  renewal 
of  the  soul  in  the  image  of  God. 

BoLANi),  p.  36.  —  "Hence  the  *  old  man,'  the 
*  body  of  sin,'  must  be  'destroyed,'  but  not  the 
nature  of  man.  The  *  corruption  of  our  nature  ' 
must  be  removed,  but  all  the  essential  elements 
of  our  twofold  nature  are  left  intact." 

Note. — This  is  rank  Antinomianism.  Accord- 
ing to  Mr.  Boland's  theory,  it  is  not  the  man 
himself  that  sins  but  the  flesh.  The  lower 
nature  does  all  the  wrong.  The  warfare  is  to 
continue  while  we  remain  in  the  body.  Enoch 
and  Elijah  took  their  bodies  with  them,  and  if 
Mr.  Boland's  teaching  is  correct,  they  must  be 
on  the  warpath  yet.  The  flesh  will  lust  against 
the  spirit,  and  the  spirit  against  the  flesh. 

Comment.  —  This  is  Mr.  Boland's  method  of 
explaining  away  the  necessity  of  the  "  second 
change."  i.  It  makes  the  "old  man  "  that  is 
"  crucified  "  at  regeneration  absolutely  nothing. 
2.  It  makes  the  "  body  of  sin  "  which  "  might 
be  destroyed  "  Mr.  Boland's  second  nature.     3. 


I 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


87 


^oint  IS 
1  orated 

lat  the 
d."  2. 
soul  is 

he  total 

renewal 

lan,'  the 
not  the 
nature  * 
lements 

Accord- 
the  man 
le  lower 
are  is  to 
Enoch 
n,  and  if 
must  be 
,t  against 
sh. 

lethod  of 

*'  second 

"  that  is 

nothing. 

1  "  might 

iture.     3. 


Making  it  a  part  of  the  man  as  he  came  from 
his  Maker,  it  could  not,  therefore,  be  destroyed. 
4.  He  then  turns  and  scurrilously  charges 
holiness  teachers  with  deluding  the  masses  by 
persuading  them  that  their  nature  ii  nst  be 
destroyed. 

BoLAND,  p.  37.  —  "When  the  'desi  are 
drawn  out  and  enticed'  by  an  evil  object,  the 
desires  must  be  'rejected*  and  thereby 'mor- 
tified.'" 

Note. —  If  these  desires  are  killed,  then  they 
will  not  cause  any  more  trouble.  To  mortify 
means  to  kill,  to  put  to  death.  If  these  desires 
are  thus  killed  they  will  not  be  "  drawn  out  and 
enticed."  And  if  all  this  is  done  by  growth,  as 
Mr.  Boland  teaches,  the  question  arises,  how 
much  sin  will  be  committed  before  a  man  can 
grow  to  be  like  the  Lord  God,  so  that  he  can 
kill  sin  ? 

BoLAND,  p.  37.  —  "Neither  the  capacity  to 
desire,  nor  the  susceptibility  to  feel  the  force  of 
enticement  to  sin,  are  to  be  destroyed  ;  for  that 
would  put  man  beyond  the  possibility  of  being 
tempted." 

Note.  — Mr.  Boland  must  believe  according 
to  his  reasoning,  that  the  Angels  and  Adam, 
before  the  fall,  had  this  capacity  and  suscepti- 
bility.    If   so,  then  God   Almighty  must  have 


m 


fill 


if 


88 


NOTES    ON   BOLAND. 


i! 
\ '    ■■ 

iiil              !       ;' 

'                'ill* 

ii 

i     r 

v_     'a 
\     1 

i 

! 

li|| 

14 

i  1 

!:      j 

i! 

i  : 

1^^ 

i       it    lii' 
11    (l! 

this  capacity  also,  for  Adam  was  made  in  the 
image  of  God.  Then  there  is  no  such  thing  as 
absolute  holy  essence.  Where  will  Mr.  Boland 
lead  us  to  next  ? 

Boland,  p.  38.  —  "We  learn  from  the  Bible 
that  man,  while  in  a  state  of  innocence  and 
purity  was  subjected  to  temptation;  and  that 
he  possessed,  then,  appetites,  emotions  and 
desires,  similar  in  nature  to  those  belonging  to 
the  human  mind  and  constitution  now." 

Note.  —  Mr.  Boland  says,  "We  learn  from 
the  Bible."  Where  ?  We  did  not  know  that 
any  Methodist  preacher  would  deny  that  man 
fell.  Some  of  us,  at  least,  would  like  to  know 
where  the  Bible  teaches  that  the  desires,  etc., 
of  man  before  the  fall  were  similar  In  nature  to 
what  they  are  now. 

"And  God  saw  that  the  wickedness  of  man 
was  great  in  the  earth,  and  that  every  imagina- 
tion of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  was  only  evil 
con  .inually."  (Genesis,  6:  5.)  "Out  of  the 
heart  proceed  evil  thoughts,  murders,  adulteries, 
fornications,  thefts,  false  witness,  blasphemies." 
Matt.  15  :  19. 

Comment.  —  Mr.  Boland  would  have  us  be- 
lieve that  the  Bible  teaches  that  man  had 
similar  propensities  in  his  nature  to  those 
mentioned  in  the  above  passages  of  Scripture. 


I 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


89 


in  the 
ling  as 
Boland 


le  Bible 
e  and 
d  that 
and 

ging  to 

n  from 
)w  that 
at  man 
o  know 
es,  etc., 
iture  to 

of  man 
magina- 
nly  evil 
of  the 
ilteries, 


emies. 


>» 


:  us  be- 
an  had 
those 
ripture. 


2.  He  has  not  called  our  attention  to  one  pas- 
cage  of  Scripture  directly  or  indirectly  in  support 
of  what  he  has  positively  affirmed  to  be  the 
teaching  of  Scripture. 

3.  He  has  made  God  responsible  for  creating 
man  corrupt,  by  affirming  that  his  appetites, 
emotions  and  desires  before  the  fall  were  similar 
to  those  possessed  by  him  after  he  had  fallen. 

Boland,  p.  38.  —  "  *  When  the  woman  saw  that 
the  tree  was  good  for  food,  and  that  it  was 
pleasant  to  the  eyes,  and  a  tree  to  be  desired  to 
make  one  wise,  she  took  of  the  fruit  thereof  and 
did  eat.'  (Gen.  3:6.)  Here  we  have:  first,  a 
perception  of  a  forbidden  object ;  second,  the 
appetite  for  food  awakened  ;  third,  the  emotions 
of  pleasure  stirred  ;  fourth,  the  desire  to  know 
enkindled ;  and,  finally,  the  volition  and  act  that 
constituted  the  sin  by  which  man  fell." 

Note.  —  What  a  brood  of  vipers  !  All  ready 
to  spring  forth  and  usurp  supreme  authority. 
What  a  creation  for  the  God  of  holiness  to  pro- 
nounce *'  very  good"  !  What  a  preparation  for 
sin,  death,  hell  and  damnation  !  All  that  was 
necessary  to  bring  pain,  sickness,  death  and 
effect  the  ruin  of  the  race,  by  sinking  it  into  a 
nethermost  hell,  was  for  the  woman  to  see  the 
forbidden  object.  Strange  that  she  did  not  see 
it  sooner ! 


ii 


I'M 


^' 


40 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


Comment.  —  To  evade  the  fall  and  get  his 
premises  laid  so  as  to  reach  the  conclusion  that 
he  had  in  view,  he  was  obliged :  i.  To  shut 
the  devil  out  altogether.  2.  To  lay  all  law  aside 
(a)  the  law  to  be  believed,  (b)  the  law  disbe- 
lieved. 3.  He  accepted  man  not  from  the  hand 
of  his  Maker,  but  from  the  hand  of  his  destroyer. 

It  is  necessary  here  inasmuch  as  Mr.  Boland 
totally  ignores  all  diabolical  agency  in  dealing 
with  the  fall,  to  briefly  refer  to  its  origin,  and 
state  how  Satan  accomplished  his  malicious 
design. 

1.  It  originated  in  the  universe  first  with  a 
free  intelligence  known  to  us  as  Satan. 

2.  This  representative  of  evil  was  the  instru- 
mental cause  of  death  to  the  first  man. 

3.  He  injected  into  man  the  subtle  suggestion 
"  Ye  shall  be  as  gods." 

4.  Our  first  parents  did  not  discern  the  mys- 
tery of  iniquity  that  lay  concealed  within  this 
subtle  suggestion  of  the  tempter. 

5.  In  it  lay  hidden  the  germinal  seed  of  all 
pride. 

6.  In  this  concealed  form  they  unconsciously 
imbibed  the  principle  of  all  evil. 

7.  In  this  way  their  course  of  actions  became 
a  continuation  of  Satan's  sin. 

8.  It  is    thus  obvious  that    temptation    was 


i 


NOTES   ON  BOLAND. 


41 


ition    was 


wholly  from  without  and  that  it  created  some- 
thing within  upon  which  it  laid  hold. 

9.  The  pure  desire  for  knowledge  became  in- 
dependent and  lusted  for  forbidden  knowledge. 

10.  The  entertainment  of  Satan's  question, 
"  Yea,  hath  God  said  ?  "  was  the  starting  point 
of  human  evil.  . 

11.  The  offense  was  first  spiritual  and 
then  sensuous. 

1 2.  The  temptation  was  directed  to  the  highest 
element  of  human  nature,  and  here  the  fall  was 
effected,  then  the  sensuous  element  of  human 
nature  lusted  for  the  forbidden  object. 

Dr.  Pope  in  his  Theology,  Vol.  ii.,  p.  16., 
says:  —  "There  is  no  sin  that  does  not  begin 
in  the  spirit,  though  it  may  be  made  perfect  in 
the  flesh.  The  first  sinners  rejected  the  re- 
straint of  God's  Holy  Spirit,  and  made  them- 
selves independent  in  thought  and  will,  before 
the  fruit  of  the  forbidden  tree  could  become  a 
real  temptation.  This  hidden  mystery  of  in- 
iquity, behind  the  act  of  transgression,  was  only 
brought  to  light  in  the  recorded  fall." 

BoLAND,  p.  39.  —  "  These  sensibilities  were 
susceptible  of  being  addressed  and  excited  by  a 
forbidden  object." 

Note.  —  Mr.  Boland  would  have  us  believe, 
contrary  to  the  word  of   God,  that  it  was  the 


■i  i 


I  \ 


i 

i 


42 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


I 


n 


**  forbidden"  fruit  and  not  the  devil  that  ad- 
dressed the  woman.  **  And  the  serpent  said 
unto  the  woman,  ye  shall  not  surely  die,  for  God 
doth  know  that  in  the  day  ye  eat  thereof  ;  then 
your  eyes  shall  be  opened,  and  ye  shall  be  as 
gods  knowing  good  and  evil." 

The  introduction  of  these  passages  of  Script- 
ure here  would  have  completely  destroyed  his 
major  premise. 

BoLAND,  p.  39.  —  "  But  when  he  fell  those 
faculties  which  were  essential  to  humanity  be- 
came perverted  and  corrupted,  and  passions 
which  were  intended  to  perform  only  a  subor- 
dinate part  became  controlling." 

Note.  —  i.  Man  did  not,  then,  lose  the  image 
of  God,  but  what  Mr.  Boland  calls  the  lower 
nature  gained  control  over  the    higher  nature. 

2.  The  higher  nature  became  paralyzed  by 
the  lower,  and  could  not  perform  its  functions. 

3.  All,  then,  that  was  necessary  according  to  Mr. 
Boland's  theory  was  to  regulate  the  displaced 
natures.  4.  We  need  not,  therefore,  be  surprised 
that  he  could  see  no  necessity  for  a  "  second 
change." 

BoLAND,  p.  40.  —  *'  Depravity,  then,  is  not  a 
real  entity,  existing  apart  from  man's  essential 
constitution ;  not  an  actual  substance  or  real 
entity   projected  into  man's  constitution,  but  a 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


43 


1 


corruption  and  a  perversion  of  man's  essential 
powers." 

Note.  —  Mr.  Boland  has  no  place  in  his 
theory  for  the  fall  of  man.  He  denies  that  he 
did  fall.  Having  denied  the  effects  of  the  fall 
he  was  under  the  necessity  of  rejecting  re- 
demption. The  following  Bible  facts  explode 
his  entire  theory :  I.  Man  lost  by  the  fall : 
I.  The  image  of  God.  2.  The  love  of  God.  3. 
His  spiritual  life.  4.  His  knowledge,  he  was 
wise  before  the  fall. 

n.  Man  received  by  the  fall :  i.  The  image 
of  Satan.  2.  A  heart  which  was  enmity  against 
God.  3.  He  received  spiritual  death.  4.  He 
became  ignorant. 

Mr,  Boland  denies  that  anything  was  projected 
into  man's  constitution.  Satan  infused  his 
own  proud  and  independent  spirit  into  him. 

Boland,  p.  40.  —  **  Now  this  depravity  is 
personified  by  Paul  as  the  *  old  man,'  the  *  body 
of  sin  ; '  because  man's  higher  nature  is  under 
the  dominion  of  his  lower  nature." 

Note.  —  Where  does  Paul  teach  that  man 
has  two  natures }  He  teaches  in  the  sixth  of 
R.omans  that  when  we  are  regenerated  "  that  our 
old  man  is  crucified  with  him"  and  for  a  pur- 
pose "  that  the  body  of  sin  might  be  (not  is) 
destroyed." 


I' 


.:f 


Hi 


it . 


;|| 


ill 


m 


44 


NOTES  ON  BOLAND. 


Mi 

1   j 

1 

1 

1 

i           1 

1              ; 

t 
! 

i 

1 

i 
! 

1 
t 

i 

\ 

:       i 
1 
1 

Comment. —  Mr.  Boland  says  that  this  "  body 
of  sin  is  destroyed"  when  the  soul  is  regenerated, 
and  because  it  is  not,  he  then  calls  it  the 
lower  nature,  and  claims  that  it  never  will  be  de- 
stroyed. Over  against  this  error  we  place  the 
teaching  of  Methodism,  and  we  entirely  accord 
with  it  that  this  body  of  sin  is  destroyed  by 
entire  sanctification. 

Dr.  Adam  Clarke  says  :  **By  the  destruction 
of  the  body  of  sin,  our  old  man,  our  wicked,  cor- 
rupt and  fleshly  self,  is  to  be  crucified ;  to  be  as 
truly  slain  as  Christ  was  crucified  ;  that  our  souls 
may  as  truly  be  raised  from  a  death  of  sin  to  a 
life  of  righteousness  as  the  body  of  Christ  was 
raised  from  the  grave,  and  afterward  ascended 
to  the  right  hand  of  God." 

Boland,  p.  41. —  "  Now  this  *  course  of  carnal 
thinking ;'  this  inherited  tendency  to  sin,'  is  what 
Paul  calls  *  the  law  of  sin  and  death,'  from 
which,  he  affirms,  *the  law  of  the  spirit  of  life  in 
Christ  Jesus  makes  us  free.'  *' 

Note.  —  Mr.  Boland  supposes  that  he  has 
disposed  of  all  these  terms  such  as  the  "  old 
man,"  the  "  body  of  sin,"  the  "carnal  mind,  etc.," 
by  saying  they  mean  the  same  thing  as  "  the 
law  of  sin  and  death." 

It  is  clear  that  Mr.  Boland  has  neither  com- 
prehended nor  given  us  the  real  meaning  of  St. 


Illi! 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


45 


"  body 
nerated, 

it  the 
I  be  de- 
lace  the 
r  accord 
yed   by 

truction 
ed,  cor- 
:o  be  as 
ur  souls 
sin  to  a 
rist  was 
Jcended 

f  carnal 
is  what 
/  from 
F  life  in 

fie  has 
e  "old 
[,  etc.," 
s  "  the 

r  com- 
of  St. 


Paul's  words  as  found  in  Rom.  8  :  2.  Paul  is 
not  here  referring  to  "  inherited  depravity,  etc.," 
but  to  the  law  of  Moses  which  condemned  him 
to  death. 

Comment. —  i.  The  absurdity  of  Mr.  Boland's 
interpretation  will  appear  when  we  read  the  next 
verse,  which  is  as  follows : 

"  For  what  the  law  could  not  do,  in  that  it 
was  weak  through  the  flesh,  God  sending  his 
own  Son  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  and  for 
sin  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh. 

2.  If  he  had  read  the  fourth  verse,  "  That  the 
righteousness  of  the  law  might  be  fulfilled  in  us 
who  walk  not  after  the  flesh  but  after  the 
Spirit,"  it  would  have  saved  him  from  such  a 
delusion. 

Dr.  Adam  Clarke  says  on  :  "  The  law  of  sin 
and  death  —  the  law  was  a  spirit  of  death,  by 
which  those  who  were  under  it  were  bound 
down,  because  of  their  sin,  to  condemnation 
and  death.  The  gospel  proclaims  Jesus  the 
Saviour ;  and  what  the  law  bound  unto  death, 
it  looses  unto  life  eternal."  Mr.  Boland's  whole 
theory  falls  through  here.  His  whole  frame 
work  is  built  on  this  and  a  few  other  mutilated 
passages  of  Scripture.  By  the  misuse  of  this 
single  passage  he  imagines  he  has  nullified  all 
those  passages  of  Scripture  which  plainly  teach 
the  necessity  of  a  second  change. 


^ 


Vv 


S3 


:iM       :i:t 


n 


mllli 


■  ill 

■'III 


ll!ill« 


•It 


III 


i  hi 


I   !      i 


46 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


His  supposed  foundation,  therefore,  has  no  ex- 
istence in  fact,  consequently  his  theory  is  de- 
stroyed, root  and  branch.  He  supposed  that  he 
was  proving  that  when  the  soul  is  regenerated, 
that  the  "  body  of  sin"  was  "  destroyed." 

BoLAND,  p.  41.  —  "  How  any  man  can  read 
and  study  the  sixth  chapter  of  Romans,  where 
Paul  proves  conclusively  that  the  normal  state 
of  spiritual  life  presupposes  a  *  crucifixion  of  the 
old  man,'  and  a  *  destruction  of  the  body  of  sin,' 
and  a  'death  to  sin,'  and  then  hold  to  the 
*  residue  theory  of  regeneration,'  is  simply 
amazing.  " 

Note.  —  No  man  can  read  it  according  to 
Mr.  Boland's  interpretation  and  hold  what  he 
calls  the  "  residue  theory."  We  much  prefer 
reading  it  as  it  is.  We  do  not  care  to  read  his 
incorrect  rendition  of  it. 

We  would  not  feel  it  so  keenly  if  he  had  given 
it  as  his  own  translation,  but  when  he  quotes  it 
as  the  authorized  version  it  is  painful  to  endure. 

Comment.  —  It  does  not  read  "  destruction 
of  the  body  of  sin."  It  does  read  "that  the 
body  of  sin  might  be  destroyed."  Mr.  Boland 
perverted  it  to  suit  his  theory.  Mr.  Wesley 
in  his  notes  on  the  New  Testament  says :  — 
**This  in  a,  believer  is  crucified  with  Christ 
(mortified,  gradually  killed  by  virtue  of  our  union 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


47 


has  no  ex- 
ory  is  de- 
ed that  he 
generated, 

5d." 

can  read 
ns,  where 
mal  state 
ion  of  the 
dy  of  sin,' 
Id  to  the 
s    simply 

ording   to 

what  he 

ich  prefer 

•  read  his 

had  given 
quotes  it 

:o  endure. 

jstruction 
that   the 

r.  Boland 

.  Wesley 
says :  — 

h   Christ 

5ur  union 


I 


with  him)  that  the  body  of  sin,  all  evil  tempers, 
words  and  actions,  which  are  the  members  of 
the  old  man,  (Col.  3  :  5)  might  be  destroyed." 

Boland,  p.  42. — "  How  any  man  can  read  and 
study  the  eighth  chapter  of  Romans  where  Paul 
discusses  the  *  carnal  mind,'  and  the  *  spiritually 
minded,'  and  then  say  that  *  this  carnal  mind 
survives  the  work  of  regeneration,  and  is  often 
actively  rebellious  in  the  hearts  of  real  Chris- 
tians,' is  a  mystery  that  transcends  the  enig- 
matical philosophy  of  the  Persians." 

Note.  —  It  would  be  a  great  mystery  if  they 
would  pervert  the  second  verse  as  Mr.  Boland 
has  done  and  then  read  the  chapter  in  the  light 
of  that  perversion. 

Comment. — All  who  call  "  the  law  of  sin  and 
death,"  in  the  eighth  of  Romans,  the  same  as 
the  "  body  of  sin,"  in  the  sixth  of  Romans,  are 
prepared  to  read  both  chapters  through  Mr. 
Boland's  glasses.  Mr.  Wesley  did  not  so  read  : 
"  The  law  of  the  spirit  (that  is,  the  gospel)  hath 
freed  me  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death  —  that 
is,  the  Mosaic  dispensation." 

Mr.  Boland  will  not  object  when  we  give  Mr. 
Wesley's  notes.  He  accepts  them  because  Mr. 
Wesley  revised  them  in  1788.  Then  everything 
which  he  has  attempted  to  prove  by  this  eighth 
chapter  of  Romans  is  disproved  by  his  own 
acceptation. 


•M 


i     '  ^ 

?! 
t 


m 


48 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


ill 


M- 


t|l 


in 


BoLAND,  P.  43. —  "  The  advancement  that  has 
been  made  in  mental  science,  in  some  of  its 
nicer  distinctions  since  Mr.  Wesley's  day,  puts 
one  on  vantage  ground  which  he  did  not 
occupy,  or  he  would  have  been  shocked  at  the 
very  thought  of  putting  *  lust '  in  the  catalogue 
of  *  sin  in  believers.'  " 

Note. —  It  is  a  great  pity  that  Mr.  Wesley 
did  not  know  the  meaning  of  the  word  "lust." 
Mental  science  must  be  a  wonderful  thing  in 
modern  times,  when  it  can  give  a  man  who  lives 
now  such  an  increased  conception  of  the  mean- 
ing of  a  word  of  four  letters  over  the  man  that 
lived  a  little  over  a  century  ago. 

Comment. —  If  St.  Paul  had  been  drilled  in 
the  "nicer  distinctions"  of  "mental  science," 
"  he  would  have  been  shocked  at  the  very 
thought "  of  writing  some  things  which  he  did 
write  to  the  churches.  The  Holy  Ghost  could 
never  have  induced  him  to  write  the  third 
chapter  of  his  Epistle  to  the  Colossians.  If  he 
had  written  it,  he  would  certainly  have  omitted 
the  fifth  and  eighth  verses.  Mr.  Boland  has 
said  that  he  accepts  Mr.  Wesley's  notes  on  the 
New  Testament.  The  following  are  Mr.  Wes- 
ley's notes  on  these  two  verses.  Fifth  verse, 
"  Mortify,  therefore,  —  Slay  with  a  continued 
stroke  your  members  which  are  upon  the  earth, 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


49 


that  has 
le  of  its 
ay,  puts 
did  not 
d  at  the 
atalogue 

Wesley 
"lust." 
:hing  in 
^ho  lives 
e  mean- 
an  that 

illed  in 
cience," 
le   very 

he  did 
t  could 
e  third 
If  he 
emitted 
nd  has 
on  the 
-.  Wes- 

verse, 
itinued 

earth, 


where  they  find  their  nourishment ;  uncleanness, 
in  act,  word,  or  thought ;  inordinate  affection  — 
every  passion  which  does  not  flow  from,  and 
lead  to,  the  love  of  God  ;  evil  desire  —  the  de- 
sire of  the  flesh,  the  desire  of  the  eye,  and  the 
pride  of  life  ;  covetousness,  according  to  the 
derivation  of  the  word,  means  the  desire  of 
having  more,  or  of  anything  independent  of 
God,  which  is  idolatry,  properly  and  directly ; 
for  it  is  giving  the  heart  to  a  creature."  Eighth 
verse,  **  Wrath  is  lasting  anger  ;  filthy  discourse 
—  and  was  there  need  to  warn  even  these  saints 
of  God  against  so  gross  and  palpable  a  sin  as 
this }  O  what  is  man,  till  perfect  love  casts 
out  both  fear  and  sin  ! '' 

BoLAND,  p.  44. — "  These  sensibilities,  being 
natural,  have  no  moral  quality  in  themselves,  but 
they  form  the  basis  of  every  solicitation  to  evil." 

Note. —  Mr,  Boland  is  consistent  with  him- 
self here.  The  basis  of  his  whole  theory  is 
that  man  was  not  tempted  by  the  devil  only  by 
the  fruit.  The  fruit  spoke  to  his  natural  appe- 
tite for  food.  According  to  his  theory  all  sin  is 
natural.     It  is  natural  for  him  to  be  hungry. 

Comment. —  He  has  not  attempted  to  show 
how  a  thing  can  be  natural  and  at  the  same 
time  a  sin.  Mr.  Boland  is  childish  on  this  point 
if  not  silly. 


«  I! 


I   Ih 


I*'    u  f 


15  1 


:'    1i| 


50 


NOTES    ON    P'^T.AND. 


I    ^ 

I    '■'    \ 

■  ill 


Ill  I 


1] 


BoLAND,  P.  45. — "The  effects  of  the  fall  upon 
the  natural  sensibilities  may  be  accounted  for 
largely  in  their  excessive  indulgence,  growing 
out  of  the  absence  of  a  moral  or  spiritual  power 
to  control  and  direct  them." 

Note. —  If  the  fall  was  effected  through  the 
natural  sensibilities,  and  Satan  had  nothing  to 
do  with  it,  then  God  made  man  destitute  of 
power  to  control  his  nat  1  faculties.  There 
must  have  been  a  strong. r  tendency  toward 
evil,  in  his  natural  sensibilities,  than  good  in  his 
moral  sensibilities.  Mr.  Boland  cannot  get 
away  from  this.  He  does  not  allow  that  the 
devil  had  anything  to  do  with  the  fall  — it  was 
entirely  natural  and  not  moral.  God  must, 
therefore,  be  the  author  of  sin,  having  made 
man  with  a  stronger  tendency  toward  evil  than 
toward  good  —  and  pronounced  him  very  good. 

Boland,  p.  46. — "  But  to  say  that  the  natural 
sensibilities  are  to  be  so  *  crucified  '  as  not  to  be 
stirred  and  enkindled  by  a  pleasing  or  a  desir- 
able object,  implies  their  utter  destruction.'* 

Note. —  Mr.  Wesley  never  taught  that  any 
natural  sensibility  was  *  crucified  *  by  entire 
sanctification.  Neither  did  he  believe  that  the 
fall  was  effected  through  the  natural  sensibili- 
ties. He  was  thoroughly  orthodox  on  these 
points. 


m 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


61 


1.  He  believed  that  man  was  made  perfectly 
in  the  image  of  God.  The  following  are  Mr. 
Wesley's  words: — "In  the  image  of  God  was 
man  made ;  holy  as  He  that  created  him  is 
holy  ;  merciful  as  the  author  of  all  is  merciful ; 
perfect  as  his  Father  in  heaven  is  perfect.  As 
God  is  love,  so  man,  dwelling  in  love,  dwelt  in 
God,  and  God  in  him.  God  made  him  to  be  an 
'image  of  his  own  eternity,'  an  incorruptible 
pict  re  of  the  God  of  glory.  He  was  accord- 
ingly |jure,  as  God  is  pure,  from  every  spot  of 
sin.  He  knew  not  evil  in  any  kind  or  degree, 
but  was  inwardly  and  outwardly  sinless  and 
undefiled.  He  Moved  the  Lord  his  God  with 
all  his  heart,  and  with  all  his  mind,  and  soul, 
and  strength.'  "     Sermon  5,  p.  54. 

2.  Mr.  Wesley  believed  that  man  fell  from 
this  state,  not  through  his  natural  sensibilities, 
but  through  the  highest  and  best  element  of  his 
nature  —  that  the  temptation  came  not  from 
fruit  on  a  tree,  but  from  the  serpent.  On  the 
next  page  in  this  sermon,  Mr.  Wesley  says  : 
" See  self-will,  the  first-born  of  Satan!  *I  will 
be  like  the  Most  High.'  See  pride,  the  twin 
sister  of  self-will.  Here  was  the  true  origin  of 
evil.  Hence  came  the  inexhaustible  flood  of 
evils  upon  the  lower  world.  When  Satan  had 
once  transfused  his  own  self-will  and  pride  into 


V 


If 


1  !'i 


r  J. 


\\ 


III 


62 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


ill 


w 


Hn 


1^ 


the  parents  of  mankind,  together  with  a  new 
species  of  sin, —  love  of  the  world,  the  loving 
the  creature  above  the  creator." 

Again,  Sermon  123,  p.  338.  **  From  the  devil 
the  spirit  of  independence,  self-will  and  pride, 
productive  of  all  ungodliness  and  unrighteous- 
ness, quickly  infused  themselves  into  the  hearts 
of  our  first  parents  in  paradise.  After  they 
had  eaten  of  the  tree  of  knowledge,  wickedness 
and  misery  of  every  kind  rushed  in  with  a  full 
tide  upon  the  earth,  alienated  us  from  God  and 
made  way  for  all  the  rest." 

3.  Mr.  Wesley  taught  that  there  was  provi- 
sion made  in  the  atonement  for  the  full  redemp- 
tion of  man  from  all  sin  inherited  from  the  fall 
of  Adam.  He  taught  that  the  benefits  of  this 
redemption  were  not  all  received  at  once.  Mr. 
Wesley  never  changed  his  mind  on  this  point, 
as  alleged  by  Mr.  Boland.  As  late  as  1790  at 
Halifax  he  wrote  the  following  words  : — "Only 
let  it  be  remembered,  that  the  heart,  even  of  a 
believer,  is  not  wholly  purified  when  he  is  justi- 
fied. Sin  is,  then,  overcome,  but  it  is  not  rooted 
out ;  it  is  conquered,  but  not  destroyed.  Expe. 
rience  shows  him,  first,  that  the  roots  of  sin, 
self-will,  pride  and  idolatry,  remain  still  in  his 
heart."     Sermon  123,  p.  341. 

4.  Mr.  Wesley  also  taught  that  there  was  a 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


63 


ire  was  a 


subsequent  deliverance  from  all  inward  sin, 
including  evil  desires,  evil  tempers  and  evil 
words.  On  this  point  he  never  changed  his 
mind  as  Mr.  Boland  also  asserts.  As  late  as 
1788,  at  Yarm,  he  wrote: — "But  what  is  the 
perfection  here  spoken  of.!*  It  is  not  only  a 
deliverance  from  doubts  and  fears,  but  from 
sin ;  from  all  inward  as  well  as  outward  sin  ; 
from  evil  desires,  and  evil  tempers,  as  well  as 
from  evil  words  and  works.  Yea,  and  it  is  not 
only  a  negative  blessing,  a  deliverance  from  all 
evil  dispositions  implied  in  that  expression,  *  I 
will  circumcise  thy  heart ;'  but  a  positive  one 
likewise,  even  the  planting  all  good  disposi- 
tions in  their  place ;  clearly  implied  in  that 
other  expression,  *  To  love  the  Lord  your  God 
with  all  your  heart,  and  with  all  your  soul.'  " 
Sermon  1 10,  p.  237. 

5.  It  is  clear  that  Mr.  Wesley  believed  : 
I.  That  the  fall  originated  in  the  moral  ele- 
ment of  man's  nature.  2.  That  the  serpent 
was  the  instrumental  cause.  3.  That  the  ser- 
pent infused  his  proud  spirit  into  man.  4.  That 
Jesus  would  save  his  people  from  all  inherited 
depravity.  5.  That  salvation  is  not  completed 
when  the  soul  is  regenerated.  6.  That  be- 
lievers have  the  root  and  seed  of  all  sin  remain- 
ing in  them   until  they  are  entirely  sanctified. 


'i  '. 


t 


■j.  \ 


I  111  1 

r 


illH 


Pffl 

i 

■  i 

■  i 
!| 

1 
i 

1 

•  ;;! 

( 

li 


'in 


I,!  ;1^  . 


ill! 


m 


Ml' 


i 


{i 


1  i 


54 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


7.  That  there  is  a  total  death  of  sin  and  an 
entire  renewal  in  the  image  of  God.  8.  And 
that  Mr.  Wesley  taught  this  in  the  years  1788 
and  1790. 

BoLAND,  p.  46. — "To  say  that  they  may  be 
dead  to  all  evil  and  alive  to  all  good  will  not 
remove  the  difficulty." 

Note. — According  to  Mr.  Boland  it  would  be 
a  calamity  for  a  man  to  be  able  to  say  that  *  the 
prince  of  this  world  cometh  and  hath  nothing 
in  me. 

Comment. —  Mr.  Boland  is  perfectly  consist- 
ent with  his  theory  here.  If  God  made  man 
with  this  evil  in  his  nature,  he  could  not,  there- 
fore, be  saved  from  it.  It  is  surprising  to  learn 
from  a  Methodist  preacher  that  God  is  the 
author  of  sin.  This  is  the  positive  teaching  of 
Mr.  Boland's  book. 

Boland,  p.  48.  — "  These-  errorists  have 
pressed  the  doctrine  of  self-crucifixion  so  far 
that,  if  they  could  live  up  to  their  theory,  they 
would  be  incapable  of  feeling  any  solicitation  to 
evil,  and  hence  would  be  beyond  the  reach  of 
temptation." 

Note. —  This  is  extremely  shallow.  All  theo- 
rizing from  the  conclusion  that  holy  men,  angels 
and  God  Almighty  have  strong  evil  tendencies 
in  their  natures  must,  of  necessity,  be  shallow. 


kU, 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


55 


and  an 
And 
Lrs  1788 


I 


may  be 
will  not 

ould  be 
lat  'the 
lothing 

consist- 
ie  man 
,  there- 
:o  learn 
is  the 
hing  of 

have 

so  far 

y,  they 

tion  to 

ach  of 

1  theo- 
angels 
encies 
lallow. 


Comment. —  Mr.  Boland's  theory  is  that  all 
temptation  is  effected  by  some  of  the  natural 
sensibilities  lusting  after  a  forbidden  object, 
until  the  will  yields  and  gives  consent.  Then 
what  forbidden  object  was  there  in  heaven  for 
the  angels  to  lust  after  ?  What  brought  about 
their  fall  ?  Most  men  are  better  suited  with 
Milton's  reasoning  on  this  point,  even  though 
the  "nicer  distinctions"  of  mental  science,  to 
which  Mr.  Boland  attaches  such  vast  import- 
ance, were  as  yet  undeveloped. 

Boland,  p.  49. — "  The  mental  process  in 
temptation,  therefore,  is  from  perception  to 
emotions,  from  emotions  to  desires,  and  from 
desires  to  the  will.  Let  us  compare  this  analysis 
of  temptation  with  the  word  of  God :  *  And 
when  the  woman  saw  that  the  tree  was  good  for 
food,  and  was  pleasant  to  the  eye,  etc' " 

Note. —  This  is  what  Mr.  Boland  considers 
his  stronghold.  He  makes  it  his  chief  point  in 
all  his  reasoning.  '*  Here  we  have  the  whole 
process  step  by  step,  etc." 

Comment. — We  have  no  fault  to  find  with 
Mr.  Boland's  reasoning  here.  It  is  logical.  He 
makes  his  point  all  right.  Still  there  never  was 
a  greater  delusion  imposed  upon  the  church. 
Where  is  the  fallacy  .-*  His  object  here  is  seem- 
ingly to  show  the  power  and  effect  of  tempta- 


lis 


.1 


vl 


if 


I 


lit 


n. 

Si 

■ir- 


■ 


m 


IIP 


iii^' 


50 


NOTES   O      BOLAND. 


ii!l!^ 


IB    -■■,■{"■ 

■'''  ■'. 


J 

1 

■                             ^ 

\ 

tion.  He  has  a  theory  to  establish.  In  order 
to  accomplish  this  : —  i.  He  ignores  the  fall. 
2.  He  takes  man  for  his  subject,  to  demonstrate 
his  theory,  after  he  had  fallen,  and  before  he 
had  even  the  promise  of  the  Saviour.  3.  He 
uses  Adam  in  this  helpless  state,  to  prove  that 
all  men  in  the  highest  state  of  holiness,  have 
strong  evil  tendencies,  or  they  could  not  be 
tempted.  4.  He  allows  Satan  no  place  in  the 
process  or  work  of  temptation  as  connected  with 
the  fall  of  our  first  parents,  or  with  the  history 
of  evil  as  related  to  mankind. 

To  arrive  at  the  conclusion  he  had  in  view,  he 
was  obliged  to  lay  down  premises  that  involved 
the  necessity  of  accepting  man  from  the  hands 
of  his  destroyer,  and  then  claim  that  God  had 
made  him  so. 

BoLAND,  p.  50. — "We  give  Mr.  Wesley's 
translation  of  this  important  text :  *  Every  man 
is  tempted  when  he  is  drawn  away  of  his  own 
desire  and  enticed'  [so  far  it  is  a  temptation.]" 

Note. —  Mr.  Wesley  did  not  say  "  so  far  it  is 
a  temptation."  He  did  say,  "  It  doth  not  follow 
that  the  desire  itself  is  not  sin,"  and  he  also 
said-:  **  Every  man  is  tempted,  when,  in  the 
beginning  of  the  temptation,  he  is  drawn  away, 
drawn  out  of  God,  his  strong  refuge."  Finally, 
"  And  sin  being  perfected,  bringeth  forth  death." 


jUii  '*- — 


NOTES- ON    BOLAND. 


67 


Comment. —  We  might  have  accepted  Mr. 
Boland's  quotation  of  Mr.  Wesley's  translation 
of  this  passage  of  Scripture  without  question, 
if  we  had  not  been  familiar  with  it.  The  blind- 
ing, blasting,  damning  influence  of  prejudice 
that  leads  to  controversy  must  be  powerful, 
when  it  would  lead  a  Christian  man  to  do  such  a 
thing  as  this,  and  leave  himself  liable  to  ecclesi- 
astical censure  and  expulsion  from  his  church. 
Inbred  sin  will  manifest  itself  even  in  those  who 
deny  that  there  is  any  such  thing.  We  need  to 
exercise  much  charity  towards  each  other  in  the 
discussion  of  these  points.  We  must  defend 
the  truth,  even  at  the  sacrifice  of  the  feelings 
of  our  brethren,  and  the  dignity  of  their  minis- 
terial standing. 

Boland,  p.  51. — "A  large  class  of  good  men 
so  confound  temptation  with  sin  —  the  enkind- 
lings  of  desire  with  the  acts  of  the  will  —  that 
every  time  they  are  severely  tempted  — *  drawn 
away  of  their  own  desires  and  enticed' — they 
imagine  that  they  have  sinned." 

Note. —  Those  who  are  "drawn  away  of  their 
own  desires  "  know  that  their  desires  are  sinful, 
and  when  enticed  they  know  that  they  have 
sinned. 

Comment. — Mr.  Wesley  on  this  passage 
says  :  **  We  are,  therefore,  to  look  for  the  cause 


M- 


r,, 


i- 


i; 
i. 


'i! 


V 


i 


58 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


'I! 


Hi 


of  every  sin  in  (not  out  of)  ourselves,'*  also 
"  and  enticed  —  in  the  progress  of  the  tempta- 
tion, catching  at  the  bait ;  for  so  the  original 
word  signifies."  Dr.  Adam  Clarke  says  :  Verse 
14,  "But  every  man  is  [tempted]  successfully 
solicited  to  sin,  when  he  is  drawn  away  of  his 
own  lust  —  when,  giving  way  to  the  evil  pro- 
pensity of  his  own  heart,  he  does  that  to  which 
he  is  solicited  by  the  enemy  of  his  soul." 

BoLAND,  p.  51. —  "  Hence,  they  are  seeking  a 
state  of  grace  in  this  life  in  which  their  emo- 
tions and  desires  will  never  be  stirred  or  enticed 
by  a  forbidden  object." 

Note. —  Yes,  Mr.  Boland,  this  is  Christian 
perfection,  the  result  of  the  entire  nature  of 
man  being  wholly  sanctified.  The  blood-bought 
privilege  of  all  the  sons  of  God.  It  is  abso- 
lutely necessary  for  the  children  of  God  to  seek 
this  experience  by  repentance  and  faith,  and  the 
only  way  to  retain  the  favor  of  God.  St.  Paul 
says  :  "  Having  therefore  these  promises,  dearly 
beloved,  let  us  cleanse  ourselves  from  all  filthi- 
ness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit,  perfecting  holiness 
in  the  fear  of  God."     11  Cor.  7:1. 

Comment. —  Dr.  Adam  Clarke  says  :  "  Filthi- 
ness  of  the  spirit.  — All  impure  desires,  unholy 
thoughts,  and  polluting  imaginations.  With- 
holding the  eye,  the  ear,  the  hand,  ana  the  body 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


59 


>» 


s, '    also 

tempta- 

original 

:  Verse 

:essfully 

y  of  his 

vil   pro- 

0  which 
» 

eking  a 
ir  emo- 
enticed 

iristian 
ture  of 
•bought 
s  abso- 
to  seek 
md  the 
t.  Paul 
dearly 

1  filthi- 
Dliness 

Filthi- 
mholy 
With- 
ibody 


in  general  from  sights,  reports  and  acts  of  evil, 
will  not  purify  a  fallen  spirit ;  it  is  the  grace 
and  spirit  of  Christ  alone,  powerfully  applied  for 
this  very  purpose,  that  can  purify  the  conscience 
and  the  heart  from  all  dead  works."  **  We  see, 
therefore,  that  there  is  a  strong  and  orthodox 
sense  in  which  we  may  cleanse  ourselves  from 
all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  spirit,  and 
thus  perfect  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God." 

BoLAND,  p.  52. —  "This  is  the  class  of 
errorists  who  cry  aloud  for  a  complete  self-cru- 
cifixion, such  a  crucifixion  as  would  destroy 
instead  of  regulate  and  control  all  the  lower 
affinities  of  our  twofold  nature." 

Note. —  It  is  certain,  i.  That  this  class  of 
people  believe  that  God  made  them  pure  and 
holy.  2.  That  what  Mr.  Boland  calls  a  second 
nature  they  regard  as  the  "man  of  sin,"  which 
they  believe  may  be  and  should  be  destroyed. 
3.  When  this  "  man  of  sin  "  is  destroyed,  that 
their  natures  are  restored  to  the  perfect  image 
of  God. 

Comment. —  Mr.  Wesley  was  one  of  these 
errorists.  He  revised  his  Notes  on  the  New 
Testament  in  the  year  1788,  and  was  not  at  that 
late  date  saved  from  the  error  which  Mr. 
Boland  seems  so  anxious  to  charge  him  with. 
Mr.  Wesley  says :  "  This  in  a  believer  is  cruci- 


^b\ 


>   j 


It  1 

I* 


m 


\  i 


60 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


g! 


^H  I  li 


illnilil 


'    I       in        ;| 

i 
'I* 


1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

ii    . 

i :  . .... 

;  1 

I'- 

fied  with  Christ  (mortified,  gradually  killed,  by 
virtue  of  our  union  with  him)  that  the  body  of 
sin,  all  evil  tempers,  words,  and  actions,  which 
are  the  members  of  the  old  man,  (Col.  3  :  5) 
might  be  destroyed."     Romans  6  :  6. 

Dr.  Adam  Clarke  was  another  of  these 
errorists.  In  his  comment  on  Gal.  5 :  24,  he 
says:  [And  they  that  are  Christ's.]  "All 
genuine  Christians  have  crucified  the  flesh, —  are 
so  far  from  obeying  its  dictates  and  acting  under 
its  influence,  that  they  have  crucified  their 
sensual  appetites  ;  they  have  nailed  them  to  the 
cross  of  Christ,  where  they  have  expired  with 
him;  hence,  says  St.  Paul,  Rom.  6  :  6,  our  old 
man, — the  flesh,  with  its  affections  and  lusts,  is 
crucified  with  him,  that  the  body  of  sin  might 
be  destroyed,  that  henceforth  we  should  not 
serve  sin.  By  which  we  see  that  God  has  fully 
designed  to  save  all  who  believe  in  Christ  from 
all  sin,  whether  outward  or  inward,  with  all  the 
affections,  TradvfiacL  irregular  passions  and  lusts, 
emdvfiiaig,  disorderly  wishes  and  desires.  All  that 
a  man  may  feel  contrary  to  love  and  purity, 
and  all  that  he  may  desire  contrary  to  modera- 
tion and  that  self-denial  peculiar  to  the  Christian 
character." 

Again,  Col.  3  :  3.  For  ye  are  dead  "  To  all 
hopes  of  happiness  from  the  present  world  ;  and 


NOTES    ON   BOLAND. 


61 


ed,  by 
orjy  of 
which 
3:5) 

these 
H,  he 

"All 

-  are 
under 

their 
:o  the 

with 
ir  old 
sts,  is 
night 
I   not 
fully 
from 
1  the 
usts, 

that 
irity, 
dera- 
stian 

ball 
and 


~4 


according  to  your  profession,  should  feel  no 
more  appetite  for  the  things  of  this  life 
than  he  does  whose  soul  is  departed  into  the 
invisible  state."  Dr.  Beet  says  :  **  But  now  so 
completely  is  our  deliverance,  that  our  body  is 
practically  dead ;  its  power  is  utterly  gone. 
Obs.,  that  our  body  spiritually  partakes  the 
resurrection  power  of  Christ.  It  is  both  dead 
and  risen  from  the  dead." 

In  the  light  of  these  quotations  from  the 
highest  standard  authorities,  how  absurd  and 
unbecoming  is  Mr.  Boland's  references  to  those 
whom  he  brands  as  errorists. 

BoLAND,  p.  53. —  "No  desire  can  be  evil  or 
become  a  lust  without  the  sympathy  and  con- 
currence of  the  will." 

Note. — "No  desire  can  be  evil."  This  is 
why  Mr.  Boland  can  see  no  necessity  for  the 
second  work  of  grace.  He  does  not  consider 
that  the  evil  desires  which  spring  up  in  the 
heart  are  sin.  So  long  as  the  will  does  not  con- 
cur, the  soul  is  pure.  His  soul  may  be  set  on 
fire  of  hell,  but  if  his  will  does  not  concur  with 
the  desires  that  rise  up  in  his  heart,  he  is  pure 
notwithstanding  all  these  unholy  desires  which 
spring  from  his  corrupt  nature. 

Comment. —  If  Mr.  Boland  does  not  believe 
in  imputed  righteousness,  he  does  not  believe 


,1- 


'  i\ 


r.. 


, 


'T 


m 


62 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


1  «il!|l  ' 


I 


■'!!■ 


m  i 


III'' 


anything,  for  he  has  denied  implanted  righteous- 
ness. He  does  not  believe  that  we  can  be 
sanctified  throughout  spirit,  soul  and  body.  He 
tries  to  dispose  of  the  evil  desires  of  the  heart 
by  attempting  to  prove  that  they  are  tempta- 
tions. Doubtless,  they  are  a  severe  temptation 
to  those  who  are  troubled  with  them,  none  are 
free  from  them  until  they  receive  the  *' second 
change." 

BoLAND,  p.  53. — **  Up  to  the  point  where  a 
man  is  'drawn  away  of  his  own  desire  and 
enticed,'  the  solicitation  is  a  temptation." 

Note. —  If  he  is  "  drawn  away  of  his  own 
desire "  then  that  desire  cannot  be  a  good 
desire.  If  it  is  not  good,  it  must  be  sin.  If  it 
draws  him  away,  he  must  be  drawn  away  from 
God.  If  a  man's  own  desire  draw  him  away 
from  God,  it  cannot  be  good,  it  must  be  sin. 

Comment. —  Mr.  Wesley  says  : — *'  It  does 
not  follow  that  the  desire  itself  is  not  sin.  He 
that  begets  a  man  is  himself  a  man." 

Dr.  Adam  Clarke  says  : — **  Giving  way  to  the 
evil  propensity  of  his  own  heart,  he  does  that  to 
which  he  is  solicited  by  the  enemy  of  his  soul." 
"  When  the  evil  propensity  works  unchecked,  it 
bringeth  forth  sin." 

BoLAND,  p.  54. — "These  two  opposing  prin- 
ciples were   shut   up  together   in   our   twofold 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


63 


nature  as  it  came  from  the  hand  of  its  Creator, 
and  they  are  destined  to  renew  the  conflict  with 
every  new  temptation  during  life." 

Note. —  Mr.  Boland  is  perfectly  consistent 
with  his  theory  here,  also.  He  commenced  his 
argument  with  the  woman  standing,  looking 
upon  and  lusting  after  the  fruit.  There  is  no 
fallacy  in  his  reasoning.  It  is  logical.  The 
trouble  is  he  did  not  go  far  enough  back  to  lay 
down  his  premises.  He  commenced  when  the 
devil  got  through. 

Comment. —  Mr.  Boland  having  accepted  his 
subject  in  the  most  hopeless  period  of  the  his- 
tory of  man,  it  is  not  surprising  to  hear  him 
say,  **  they  are  destined  to  renew  the  conflict 
with  every  new  temptation  during  life."  i.  If 
he  had  taken  Adam  for  the  subject,  before  the 
devil  had  effected  his  fall,  he  would  have  rea- 
soned to  different  conclusions.  2.  At  the 
point  where  the  devil  completed  his  work  in 
man  Mr.  Boland  accepts  him,  and  he  has  a  sub- 
ject (a)  without  a  hope,  (b)  without  a  promise, 
(c)  without  a  ray  of  light.  3.  It  may  be  said 
that  we  are  all  liable  to  make  mistakes.  This  is 
a  great  mistake  for  a  minister  of  Mr.  Boland's 
pretentions  to  make.  If  he  did  it  wilfully,  the 
sin  is  unpardonable,  unless  he  makes  a  public 
acknowledgment  of  it. 


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64 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


BoLAND,  P.  57. — "And  the  fact  that  we  may 
be  *  tempted  without  sin'  is  proof  that  the 
stirrings  of  the  emotions  and  the  enkindhngs  of 
the  desires,  aside  from  the  concurrence  of  the 
will,  are  not  sinful  ;  neither  are  they  any  proof 
that  the  *  former  corruptions  of  the  heart 
remain  in  those  who  are  regenerated.'  " 

Note. —  The  fact  that  we  do  not  yield  to 
temptation,  is  no  proof  that  there  is  no  sin  in 
us.  The  stirring  of  -the  emotions  and  the 
enkindling  of  the  desires  are  the  positive  evi- 
dence in  ourselves  that  we  arc  not  saved  from 
inherited  depravity. 

Comment. —  All  who  are  born  of  God  have 
power  to  keep  down  all  evil  desires  and  evil 
tendencies  of  the  soul,  if  they  watch  anil  pray 
and  trust  God  with  all  t.     All  who  are 

entirely  sanctifie^^  "^^^  -i  y  evil  desires  or 
evil  tendencies  ii.  nen  jar.s,  and  they  never 
will  if  they  live  by  fai  h.  Their  probation  is 
not  thereby  ended.  They  have  the  na  iral  appe- 
tites to  regulate,  and  the  world  an^^  he  devil, 
outside  of  themselves,  to  contend  w,  >  while  on 
the  earth.  All  who  are  thus  saved  cai  exemplify 
to  the  world  the  fullness  of  the  gospel  and 
the  truth  that  Jesus  saves  his  people  from  their 
sins.  The  destruction  of  all  evil  tendencies  in 
the  heart  is  one  thing,  and  translation  to  where 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


65 


there  is  no  unfriendly  world  and  no  devil,  is 
another. 

BoLAND,  p.  6i. — "To  say  that  the  'carnal 
mind  survives  the  work  of  regeneration'  is  to 
say  that  a  regenerated  man  is  not  reconciled  to 
God." 

Note. —  This  is  not  a  matter  to  dispute  over. 
The  word  of  God  is  clear  on  the  point.  To  the 
law  and  the  testimony,  we  can  neither  add  nor 
diminish. 

Comment. —  i  Cor.  1:2.  "  Unto  the  church 
of  God  which  is  at  Corinth,  to  them  that  are 
sanctified  in  Christ  Jesus,  called  to  be  saints, 
with  all  that  in  every  place  call  upon  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord,  both  theirs  and  ours." 
Third  chapter  and  first  verse  :  "  And  I,  brethren, 
could  not  speak  unto  you  as  unto  spiritual,  but 
as  unto  carnal,  even  as  unto  babes  in  Christ." 
This  first  verse  teaches  that  they  were  sancti- 
fied in  Christ  Jesus  and  were,  therefore,  recon- 
ciled to  God.  The  second  verse  teaches  that 
they  were  yet  carnal,  only  babes  in  Christ  and 
were  not,  therefore,  entirely  sanctified. 

BoLAND,  p.  61. — "Regeneration  either  'de- 
stroys the  body  of  sin' — 'the  carnal  mind' — or 
else  it  fails  to  reconcile  us  to  God." 

Note.  —  It  positively  does  neither.  The 
Bible  teaching  is  clear  that  the  crucifixion  of 


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NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


the  "old  man"  commences  when  the  soul  is 
regenerated.  It  is  equally  clear  that  the  "body 
of  sin  "  is  not  destroyed  then.  It  reads  "  that 
the  body  of  sin  might  be  destroyed." 

Comment. —  Mr.  Wesley  distinctly  taught 
(and  did  not  change  his  mind)  that  when  the 
first  change  is  wrought  in  the  soul  that  he  is 
justified,  regenerated,  sanctified  and  adopted. 
He  also  taught  that  this  was  not  a  total  death  of 
sin  and  an  entire  renewal  in  the  image  of 
God,  He  taught  that  there  was  a  "second 
change."  This  change  he  called  entire  sanctifi- 
cation  or  Christian  Perfection.  "  It  is  love 
excluding  sin ;  love  filling  the  heart,  taking  up 
the  whole  capacity  of  the  soul."  "  Expect  it  by 
faith,  expect  it  as  you  are,  and  expect  it  now." 

Boland,  p.  63, — "To  destroy  this  'sensi- 
bility of  the  soul,'  so  that  the  *  war  within  will 
cease,'  is  to  put  us  beyond  the  susceptibility  of 
being  tempted." 

Note. —  It  is  not  salvation  from  the  knowl- 
edge of  temptation,  but  it  is  to  be  so  saved  that 
we  will  feel  no  enticement  when  the  tempter 
presents  his  bait. 

Comment. —  It  is  supreme  love  for  God  and 
his  law.  It  is  to  have  the  whole  nature  so 
infused  with  the  love  of  God  that  every  sus- 
ceptibility to  evil  will  be  completely  driven  out. 


!^ 


'1' 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


67 


Dr.  Adam  Clarke  says :  "He  loves  God  with  all 
his  heart,  who  loves  nothing  in  comparison  of 
Him,  and  nothing  but  in  reference  to  Him  : — 
who  is  ready  to  give  up,  do,  or  suffer  anything 
in  order  to  please  and  glorify  Him  : — who  has  in 
his  heart  neither  love  nor  hatred,  hope  nor  fear, 
inclination  nor  aversion,  desire  nor  delight,  but 
as  they  relate  to  God  and  are  regulated  by  Him." 

BoLAND,  p.  64.  — "  There  was  self-denial ; 
there  was  obedience  at  the  expense  of  tortured 
natural  feeling;  'Jesus  suffered,  being  tempted.* 
He  suffered  from  the  force  of  desire." 

Note. —  Mr.  Boland  quotes  this  from  another 
writer  to  prove  that  Jesus  had  in  Him  a  sus- 
ceptibility to  sin,  and  we  criticise  it  as  His  own. 
We  will  make  an  application  of  some  of  the 
temptations  of  Jesus  from  Mr.  Boland's  stand- 
point :  I.  "  And  when  the  tempter  came  to  Him, 
he  said,  if  Thou  be  the  Son  of  God,  command 
that  these  stones  be  made  bread."  That  is, 
according  to  Mr.  Boland's  theory,  Jesus  desired 
to  obey  the  devil  and  make  bread  out  of  the 
stones.  His  natural  feelings  were  thus  tor- 
tured, and  He  had  to  deny  Himself  in  order  to 
suppress  His  inclination  to  accede  to  the  tempta- 
tion of  the  devil.  He  suffered  from  the  force 
of  His  strong  desires  to  do  the  will  of  Satan, 
r  'her  than  God's  will. 


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68 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


2.  "  If  Thou  be  the  Son  of  God,  cast  Thyself 
down ;  for  it  is  written,  He  shall  give  His 
angels  charge  concerning  Thee ;  and  in  their 
hands  they  shall  bear  Thee  up,  lest  at  any  time 
Thou  Jash  Thy  foot  against  a  stone."  That  is, 
Mr.  Boland  tells  us,  that  Jesus  desired  to  let 
Himself  down,  and  He  suffered  torture  in  His 
natural  feelings,  because  He  had  such  strong 
desires  to  conform  to  the  will  of  the  devil. 

3.  "  All  these  things  will  I  give  Thee  if  Thou 
wilt  fall  down  and  worship  me."  Then,  accord- 
ing to  Mr.  Boland's  theory,  the  Saviour  had  such 
a  desire  to  get  down  and  worship  the  devil,  that 
His  natural  feelings  were  tortured,  and  He 
suffered  extremely  because  He  did  not  consent 
to  worship  the  old  serpent. 

4.  Mr.  Boland's  theory  of  temptation  totally 
falls  to  the  ground  here.  He  says,  "These  sen- 
sibilities, being  natural,  have  no  moral  quality  in 
themselves,  but  they  form  the  basis  of  every 
solicitation  to  evil."  These  temptations  of  Jesus 
were  not  so.  There  was  no  appeal  whatever  to 
what  Mr.  Boland  calls  the  natural  sensibilities. 
In  \.\\Q  first  temptation  He  was  asked  to  distrust 
God  and  make  bread  out  of  the  stones.  In  the 
second^  He  was  solicited  to  perform  an  act  of 
presumption  —  to  cast  Himself  down.  In  the 
thirdy  He  was  tempted  to  become  ambitious  in 


lU   ; 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


69 


?r  h 


a  wordly  sense.  Dr.  Adam  Clarke  says  :  "  In 
the  course  of  this  trial,  it  appears  that  our 
blessed  Lord  was  tempted,  i.  To  distrust. 
Command  these  stones  to  become  bread.  2. 
To  presumption.  Cast  Thyself  down.  3.  To 
worldly  ambition.  All  these  will  I  give.  4, 
To  idolatry.  Fall  down  and  worship  me,  or  do 
me  homage.  There  is,  probably,  not  a  tempta- 
tion of  Satan,  but  is  reducible  to  one  or  the 
other  of  these  four  articles."  **  The  words 
Kara  navra  Kad  oftoioTTjTa  might  be  translated,  in  all 
points  according  to  the  likeness,  t.  e.,  as  far  as 
His  human  nature  could  bear  affinity  to  ours; 
for,  though  He  had  a  perfect  human  body  and 
human  soul,  yet  that  body  was  perfectly 
tempered;  it  was  free  from  all  morbid  action, 
and,  consequently,  from  all  irregular  move- 
ments. 

His  mind,  or  human  soul,  being  free  from  all 
sin,  being  every  way  perfect,  could  feel  no  irreg- 
ular temper,  nothing  that  was  inconsistent  with 
infinite  purity.  In  all  these  respects.  He  was 
different  from  us ;  and  cannot,  as  man,  sympa- 
thize with  us  in  any  feelings  of  this  kind  :  but, 
as  God,  He  has  provided  support  for  the  body 
under  all  its  trials  and  infirmities,  and  for  the 
soul  He  has  provided  an  atonement  and  purify- 
ing  sacrifice :   so   that   He  cleanses  the  heart 


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70 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


from  all  unrighteousness,  and  fills  the  soul  with 
His  Holy  Spirit,  and  makes  it  His  own  temple 
and  continual  habitation.  He  took  our  flesh  and 
blood,  a  human  body  and  a  human  soul,  and 
lived  a  human  life.  Here  was  the  likeness  of 
sinful  flesh  (Rom.  8  :  5):  and  by  thus  assuming 
human  nature,  he  was  completely  qualified  to 
make  an  atonement  for  the  sins  of  the  world." 

Comment. —  i.  The  Scriptures  teach  that 
Jesus  did  suffer  being  tempted.  The  question 
is,  in  what  sense  did  He  suffer?  i.  He  fasted 
for  forty  days.  2.  During  these  forty  days  and 
nights  His  holy  soul  suffered  from  the  foul  sug- 
gestions of  evil  from  Satan.  3.  The  forty  days 
being  ended,  Satan  appeared  in  a  human  form 
and  the  dreadful  contest  began,  which  ended  in 
the  victory  of  Jesus  over  Satan,  since  then  he 
is  the  conquered  enemy. 

Rich  rd  Watson  says:  "And  when  the 
tempter  came  to  Him, —  this,  probably,  was 
the  first  visible  appearance  of  Satan  during  the 
temptation,  though,  as  it  was  the  sole  object  of 
our  Lord's  being  led  up  into  the  wilderness  to 
be  tempted  by  the  devil,  we  must  conclude  that 
a  series  of  temptations,  arising  from  that  secret, 
invisible  influence  which  the  tempter  was  per- 
mitted to  exercise  upon  His  thoughts,  had  troub- 
led His  spirit  through  the  whole  of  that  painful 


wiliMiiaWiinrjilMiiliiilajiMill 


w 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


71 


season ;  and  so,  indeed,  it  is  stated  by  the  other 
evangelists." 

2.  Mr.  Boland  positively  affirms  that  tempta- 
tion always  comes  to  the  sensuous  element  of 
human  nature. 

DEDUCTIONS. 

1.  This  means  that  there  is  no  evil  spirit  — 
no  devil. 

2.  That  it  is  our  natural  sensibilities  that  are 
solicited  by  natural  things. 

3.  If  there  be  no  evil  spirit  —  there  is  no 
good  spirit  —  to  deny  one  is  to  deny  the  other. 

4.  To  deny  that  there  is  a  supernatural  evil 
spirit  is  to  reject  Scripture  authority. 

SIN    IN    BELIEVERS. 

BoLAND,  P.  70. — "  None  but  those  who  have 
read  his  *  Journals  '  for  that  express  purpose, 
have  any  correct  idea  of  the  amount  of  trouble 
and  confusion  this  *  residue  theory '  brought 
upon  Mr.  Wesley. 

Note. — Those  who  read  Mr.  Wesley's  Works 
for  the  purpose  of  knowing  the  truth,  may  learn 
that  it  was  the  **  residue  theory,"  and  the  sec- 
ond change  —  Christian  Perfection  —  that  saved 
Mr.  Wesley's  societies  from  being  torn  to  pieces 


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72 


NOTES   ON   BOLANt). 


by  the  inroads  of  French  Prophets,  Moravians, 
Antinomians  and  Calvinists. 

Comment. —  i.  All  who  found  and  lived  the 
experience  of  Christian  Perfection,  as  Mr.  Wes- 
ley taught  it,  were  ready  to  endure  persecution, 
to  be  stoned  and  imprisoned.  2.  In  many 
instances,  the  mobs  were  incited  to  this  vio- 
lence by  ministers,  who  administered  the  sacra- 
ment to  those  who  were  stoned. 

3.  What  less  than  Christian  Perfection,  as 
Mr.  Wesley  taught  it,  would  enable  these  men 
to  accept  the  sacrament  under  these  circum- 
stances } 

It  cannot  be  shown  that  the  so-called  residue 
theory  or  the  doctrine  of  Christian  Perfection, 
as  taught  by  Mr.  Wesley,  caused  him  any 
trouble,  but  it  can  be  shown  that  the  very 
theory  that  Mr.  Boland  upholds,  viz.,  that  the 
carnal  nature  is  destroyed  at  regeneration,  and 
projected  into  Mr.  Wesley's  societies,  was  the 
real  cause  of  the  trouble  he  experienced. 

BoLAND,  p.  71. — "No  one  can  carefully  read 
the  first  part  of  the  sermon  on  '  Sin  in 
Believers '  without  being  impressed  with  the 
fact  that  Mr.  Wesley,  more  under  the  influence 
of  the  *  remains  of  High  Churchism '  than 
under  a  consciousness  of  the  *  remains  of  the 
carnal  mind,'  regarded  the  '  residue  theory' as 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


73 


being  settled  by  Church  authority ;  and,  as  a 
loyal  son  of  the  Church,  he  went  to  work  to 
defend  this  dogma  (against  the  teachings  of 
Count  Zinzendorf). 

Note. —  No  one  can  carefully  read  Mr.  Wes- 
ley's Journals  and  honestly  come  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  Mr.  Boland  has  arrived  at  here.  i. 
Mr.  Wesley  was  converted  under  the  teaching 
of  the  Moravians  contrary  to  the  teaching  of 
his  own  Church,  which  teaches  that  regener- 
ation takes  place  when  baptism  is  administered. 
"  In  the  evening  I  went  very  unwillingly  to  a 
society  in  Aldersgate  Street,  where  one  was 
reading  Luther's  preface  to  the  Epistle  to  the 
Romans.  About  a  quarter  before  nine,  while 
he  was  describing  the  change  which  God  works 
in  the  heart  through  faith  in  Christ,  I  felt  my 
heart  strangely  warmed.  I  felt  I  did  trust  in 
Christ,  Christ  alone  for  salvation ;  and  an  assur- 
ance was  given  me  that  he  had  taken  away  my 
sins,  even  mine,  and  saved  me  from  the  law  of 
sin  and  death."     Journal,  Vol.  i.,  p.  103. 

2.  Mr.  Wesley  examined  his  own  experience 
after  he  was  converted,  by  a  series  of  reflections 
on  "  If  any  man  be  in  Christ  he  is  a  new  crea- 
ture, old  things  are  passed  away;  behold,  all 
things  are  become  new."  i.  He  could  not  say 
that  his  desires  were  new,  "  For  other  desires 
often  arise  in  my  heart." 


11 


74 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND, 


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2.  "  I  have  not  that  Joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost ; 
no  settled,  lasting  Joy.  Nor  have  I  such  a 
peace  as  excludes  the  possibility  either  of  fear 
or  doubt."  "  Much  less  am  I,  in  the  full  sense 
of  the  words,  *  in  Christ  a  new  creature.' " 
Journal,  Vol.  i.,  p.  i6i. 

3.  Mr.  Wesley  had  gone  to  Germany  and 
spent  three  months  there,  to  enquire  all  about 
salvation,  and  this  was  his  conclusion  after  a 
close  examination  of  his  experience,  testing  it 
by  the  Word  of  God.  He  commenced  to  seek 
to  be  a  new  creature  in  the  full  sense  of  the 
word  and  found  the  experience. 

This  is  his  testimony: — "In  the  evening, 
while  I  was  reading  prayers  at  Snowsfields,  I 
found  such  light  and  strength  as  I  never 
remember  to  have  had  before.  I  saw  every 
thought,  as  well  as  action  or  word,  just  as  it  was 
rising  in  my  heart ;  and  whether  it  was  right 
before  God,  or  tainted  with  pride  or  selfishness, 
I  never  knew  before  (I  mean  not  as  at  this  time) 
what  it  was  'to  be  still  before  God.*  Tuesday, 
25,  I  waked,  by  the  grace  of  God,  in  the  same 
spirit ;  and  about  eight,  being  with  two  or  three 
that  believed  in  Jesus,  I  felt  such  an  awe  and 
tender  sense  of  the  presence  of  God,  as  greatly 
confirmed  me  therein,  so  that  God  was  before 
me  all  the  day  long.     I  sought  and  found  Him 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


76 


in  every  place ;  and  could  truly  say,  when  I  lay 
down  at  night,  *  now  I  have  lived  a  day.' " 
Journal,  Vol.  i.,  p.  478. 

4.  It  is  evident  that  Mr.  Wesley  did  not 
write  the  sermon  on  "  Sin  in  Believers,"  for  the 
reasons  stated  by  Mr.  Boland,  viz.,  to  defend  a 
dogma  of  the  Church.  He  saw  that  while  the 
Moravians  professed  to  have  been  entirely  sancti- 
fied when  they  were  regenerated,  and  that  they 
were  the  best  people  he  had  ever  met ;  yet  they 
were  not  saved  from  all  sin.  It  is  most  satis- 
factory to  be  in  a  position  to  produce  his  own 
words  on  this  important  subject  which  is  under 
discussion.  "  As  yet,  I  dare  in  no  wise  join 
with  the  Moravians:  i.  Because  their  general 
scheme  is  mystical,  not  scriptural ;  refined  in 
every  point  above  what  is  written ;  immeasur- 
ably beyond  the  plain  gospel. 

2.  "  Because  there  is  darkness  and  closeness 
in  all  their  behavior,  and  guile  in  almost  all 
their  words. 

3.  **  Because  they  not  only  do  not  practice, 
but  utterly  despise  and  decry,  self-denial  and 
the  daily  cross. 

4.  "  Because  they  conform  to  the  world,  in 
wearing  gold  and  gay  or  costly  apparel. 

5.  "  Because  they  are  by  no  means  zealous  of 
good  works,  or  at  least  only  to  their  own  peo- 
ple."    Journal,  Vol.  i.,  p.  307. 


;  I 


!      'r-i  !    ,,; 


fH^ 


76 


m 


.1  i 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


Mr.  Boland,  and  all  like  him  who  follow 
Zinzendorf,  will  derive  little  comfort  or  support 
from  the  above  utterances  by  Mr.  Wesley. 

5.  Mr.  Boland  thinks  that  it  was  a  great 
calamity  for  Mr.  Wesley  to  write  a  sermon  on 
"  Sin  in  Believers,  "  to  save  his  people  from  the 
delusion  of  believing  such  an  error  as  that  they 
were  entirely  sanctified  when  regenerated.  It 
can  hardly  be  possible  that  Mr.  Boland  knows 
the  result  of  a  man  or  a  denomination  denying 
the  necessity  of  a  "  second  change "  as  taught 
in  the  holy  Scriptures. 

Boland,  p.  jj. — **  Mr.  Wesley's  sermons  on 
*Sin  in  Believers'  and  the  *  Repentance  of  Be- 
lievers '  were  both  written  and  published  under 
peculiar  circumstances,  to  meet  the  follies  and 
excesses  of  Bell,  Maxfield  and  their  followers. 

Note. —  This  is  positively  untrue.  Mr. 
Boland  has  contradicted  this  himself.  We  will 
quote  his  own  words.  "Not  content  with  a 
second  work  of  grace  by  which,  as  they  claimed, 
their  hearts  were  wholly  purified  from  evil 
tempers,  they  began  to  profess  a  *  third '  by 
which  their  minds,  as  they  said,  were  lifted 
above  the  reach  of  evil  thoughts." 

Mr.  Boland  tells  us  that  they  had  received 
the  second  work  of  grace  and  the  third,  and 
then  he  states  that  Mr.  Wesley  wrote  these  ser- 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


77 


an 


mons   to   show  them   that   there  was  such 
experience  as  the  second  work  of  grace. 

Comment. —  Mr.  Boland  informs  us  on  page 
71,  that  Mr.  Wesley  wrote  his  sermon  on  "  Sin 
in  Believers"  (against  the  teachings  of  Count 
Zinzendorf).  Now  he  says  that  it  was  written 
against  those  who  had  received  the  "second" 
and  the  "  third "  blessing.  What  will  he  say 
next  ?  We  are  prepared  to  hear  him  say  that  it 
was  for  another  purpose  as  follows: 

BoLAND,  p.  78. — "  Wesley's  sermon  on  *  Sin 
in  Believers  '  was  designed  to  be  a  refutation  of 
these  unscriptural  notions." 

Note. —  Then  Mr.  Wesley  did  not  write  this 
sermon  to  prove  that  there  was  sin  in  believers, 
but  to  correct  the  unscriptural  notions  of  Bell 
and  Maxfield.  This  positively  contradicts  all 
that  Mr.  Boland  has  said  about  this  sermon. 

Comment. —  i.  If  Mr.  Boland  had  informed 
us  that  Mr.  Wesley  wrote  his  **  Farther  Thoughts 
on  Christian  Perfection,"  to  correct  the  extrav- 
agancies of  George  Bell  and  Thomas  Maxfield, 
he  would  have  thereby  assured  us  that  he  had 
read  Mr.  Wesley's  Journals  in  order  to  get  the 
truth  on  this  matter. 

Mr.  Wesley  says :  "  I  retired  again  to  Lewis- 
ham,  and  wrote  'Farther  Thoughts  on  Christian 
Perfection.'     Had    the   cautions    given    herein 


i      !  I 


It 


t* 


78 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


¥■' 


i  i: 


been  observed,  how  much  scandal  had  been  pre- 
vented !  And  why  were  they  not  ?  Because 
my  own  familiar  friend  was  even  now  forming  a 
party  against  me."     Journal,  Vol.  iii.,  p.  '/6. 

2.  The  following  is  a  foot  note  by  the  Editor 
of  Mr.  Wesley's  works,  and  shows  the  object 
Mr.  Wesley  had  in  view  when  he  wrote  these 
cautions  :  **  The  advices  which  follow  were  pub- 
lished in  a  separate  tract  in  the  year  1762,  under 
the  title  of  '  Cautions  and  Directions  given  to 
the  Greatest  Professors  in  the  Methodist  Socie- 
ties,' with  the  following  motto  : — '  Set  the  false 
witnesses  aside.  Yet  hold  the  truth  forever 
fast.'  It  was  evidently  intended  to  guard  the 
people  against  the  mischievous  extravagances  of 
George  Bell  and  his  friends,  a  particular  account 
of  whom  is  given  in  Mr.  Wesley's  Journal  about 
that  period. —  Edit."     Vol.  xi.,  p.  427. 

3.  **Q.  What  is  the  Jirst  advice  that  you  would 
give  them  ? 

"A.  Watch  and  pray  continually  against 
pride. 

"Q.  What  is  the  second  advice  which  you 
would  give  them  } 

"A.  Beware  of  the  daughter  of  pride,  enthu- 
siasm. 

*'Q.  What  is  the  third  .? 

"A.  Beware  of  Antinomianism. 


I.  SL. 


NOTES   ON    ROLAND. 


79 


"  Q.  What  is  the  fourth  ? 

**  A.   Beware  of  sins  of  omission. 

"Q.  What  is  the  fifth? 

"A.  Beware  of  desiring  anything  but  God. 

"Q.  What  is  the  sixth  ? 

"A.  Beware  of  Schism. 

"  Q.  What  is  the  last  advice  that  you  would 
give  them  ? 

'*A.  Be  exemplary  in  all  things." 

4.  Will  Mr.  Boland  tell  us  that  he  read  Mr. 
Wesley's  Journals  and  works  and  did  not  see- 
these  things  ?  Will  he  tell  us  that  he  did  not 
notice  that  these  **  Farther  thoughts"  were  writ- 
ten for  the  purpose  of  correcting  the  extrava- 
gances of  Bell  and  Maxfield  ?  Did  he  not  know 
that  these  seven  advices  were  published  in  tract 
form  by  Mr.  Wesley  to  save  his  societies  from  the 
excesses  of  these  men  .-*  He  certainly  could 
not  have  been  familiar  with  these  facts,  when 
he  said  that  "  Wesley's  sermon  on  '  Sin  in 
Believers '  was  designed  to  be  a  refutation  of 
these  unscriptural  nocions." 

BoLAND,  p.  78. — "  Wesley's  sermon  on  *  Sin 
in  Believers*  was  designed  to  be  a  refutation  of 
these  unscriptural  notions.' 

Note. —  We  have  shown  already,  what  Mr. 
Wesley  did  write,  to  refute  "  these  unscriptural 
notions  "  of  Bell  and  Maxfield.     We  will  briefly 


' 


f 


r 


.1 

t  ^ 

'  \ 

■■!     ; 

■  ■\     l 

i 

1 

i 
1 

80 


NOTES    ON   BOLAND. 


:l^ 


state  how  far  Mr.  Wesley  and  Bell  agreed  and 
where  they  differed  :  i.  They  perfectly  agreed 
on  the  necessity  of  Christian  Perfection.  Mr. 
Wesley  says  :  '*  I  like  your  doctrine  of  Perfec- 
tion, or  pure  love ;  love  excluding  sin ;  your 
insisting  that  it  is  merely  by  faith ;  that  conse- 
quently it  is  instantaneous  (though  preceded 
and  followed  by  a  gradual  work),  and  that  it 
may  be  now,  at  this  instant."  Journal,  Vol. 
iii.,  p.  119. 

2.  They  differed  in  their  opinions  as  to  what 
was  contamed  in  Christian  Perfection.  Mr. 
Wesley  always  affirmed  that  it  was  not  Adamic, 
Angelic  or  Absolute.  Mr.  Bell  taught  that  it 
was  all  of  these.  Mr.  Wesley  says  :  "  But  I 
dislike  your  supposing  man  may  be  as  perfect 
as  an  angel ;  that  he  can  be  absolutely  perfect ; 
that  he  can  be  infallible,  or  above  being 
tempted  ;  or  that  the  moment  he  is  pure  in 
heart,  he  cannot  fall  from  it." 

3.  Mr.  Maxfield  went  to  about  the  same 
extreme  as  Mr.  Bell,  although  he  was  not  so  out 
spoke  He  aimed  at  dividing  Mr.  Wesley's 
societies,  and  finally  succeeded  in  inducing  one 
of  Mr.  Wesley's  congregations  to  follow  him. 
It  is  nowhere  stated  that  Mr.  Maxfield  gave  up 
the  doctrine  of  "Sin  in  Believers."  He 
believed  all  that  Mr.  Wesley  oelieved,  and  so 


n 


Ifiil 


III 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


81 


much    more    that    he    became   an   enthusiast. 

4.  Believing  a  doctrine  does  not  make  any 
man  a  Christian.  The  very  strong  probabilities 
are  that  Mr.  Maxfield  had  been  a  notorious  back- 
slider for  years.  He  used  much  deceit  and  told 
deliberate  falsehoods.  Mr.  Wesley  had  been  a 
father  to  him  and  helped  him  in  many  ways. 
Mr.  Wesley  did  not  say  more  than  the  follow- 
ing :  "  I  now,  for  the  first  time,  spoke  to  the 
society  freely  concerning  Mr.  M.,  both  with 
regard  to  his  injustice  in  the  affair  of  Snows- 
fields,  and  his  almost  unparalleled  ingratitude  to 
me.  But  I  never  expect  one  that  is  false  to 
God  to  be  true  to  any  human  friend." 

Comment. —  We  may  now  consider  why  Mr. 
Wesley  wrote  these  two  sermons  :  i.  As  early 
as  1739  Mr.  Wesley's  societies  were  destroyed  ^ 
by  the  Moravians  who  taught  them  that  until 
they  had  perfect  faith  that  they  had  no  faith. 
They  also  taught  them  that  they  should  not  go 
to  church,  or  use  the  ordinances  of  God  until 
they  had  perfect  faith.  Mr.  Wesley  says  :  **  I 
left  Bristol,  and  on  Saturday  came  to  London. 
The  first  person  I  met  with  there  was  one 
whom  I  had  left  strong  in  faith,  and  zealous  of 
good  works ;  but  she  now  told  me,  Mr.  Malther 
had  fully  convinced  her,  she  never  had  any  faith 
at  all ;  and  had  advised   her,  till  she  received 


ill 


m^ 


.  i 


ImA     »K»    ' 


Ill 


i'lt" 


82 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


faith,  to  be  still  ceasing  from  outward  works; 
which  she  had  accordingly  done,  and  did  not 
doubt  but  in  a  short  time  she  should  find  the 
advantage  of  it."     Journal,  Vol.  i.,  p.  247. 

Page  248  :  "  I  observed  every  day  more  and 
more  the  advantage  Satan  had  gained  over  us." 

2.  Many  of  our   sisters   are   shaken  :  J 

Y C says   that   she   never   had   faith. 

Betty  and  Esther  H are  grievously  torn  by 

reasonings ;  the  former,  I  am  told,  is  going  to 
Germany."     Journal,  Vol.  i.,  p.  255. 

3.  "  I  rode  by  Windsor  to  Reading,  where  I 
had  left  two  or  three  full  of  peace  and  love. 
But  I  now  found  some  from  London  had  been 
here,  grievously  troubling  these  souls  also ; 
laboring  to  persuade  them,  i.  That  they  had  no 
faith  at  all,  because  they  sometimes  felt  doul^t 
or  fear,  and,  2.  That  they  ought  to  be  still ;  not 
to  go  to  church,  not  to  communicate,  not  to 
search  the  Scriptures :  *  Because,'  say  they, 
*you  cannot  do  any  of  those  things  without 
trusting  in  them.'  "     Journal,  Vol.  i.,  p.  264. 

4.  "  One  asked  whether  they  would  suffer 
Mr.  Wesley  to  preach  at  Fetter-Lane.  After  a 
short  debate,  it  was  answered,  *  No  :  This  place 
is  taken  for  the  Germans  !'  "  Journal,  Vol.  i., 
p.  281. 

5.  The  large  society  was  so  ruined  at  Fetter- 


yf 


r 


NOTES    ON   BOLAND. 


83 


Lane  by  this  teaching  of  the  Moravians  that 
Mr.  Wesley  had  to  withdraw  from  them,  and 
there  were  only  eighteen  to  follow  him. 

6.  "I  rode  to  Bristol,  where  John  Nelson 
gave  a  melanchoiy  account  of  many  that  did 
run  well.  I  told  him  I  was  as  willing  they 
should  be  with  the  Germans  as  with  us,  if  they 
did  but  grow  in  grace.  He  said,  *  but  this  is 
not  the  case.  They  grow  worse  instead  of  bet- 
ter. They  are  changed  both  in  their  tempers 
and  lives  ;  but  not  for  the  better  at  all.  They 
now  do  things  without  scruple,  which  they  could 
not  do  before.  They  are  light  and  trifling  in 
their  behavior.  They  are  easy  and  thought- 
less ;  having  now  no  holy  fear,  no  earnest  care 
to  work  out  their  own  salvation.'  "  Journal, 
Vol.  i.,  p.  409. 

7.  **  In  the  afternoon  I  came  to  Bristol. 
Many  miserable  comforters  were  with  me  soon, 
complaining,  one  after  another,  of  the  want  of 
lively  preachers,  the  hurt  the  Germans  had  done 
to  some,  and  R  —  W  —  to  others;  and  the 
almost  universal  coldness,  heaviness  and  dead- 
ness  among  the  people."  Journal,  Vol.  ii., 
p.  174. 

8.  We  give  some  extracts  from  a  letter  that 
Mr.  Wesley  wrote  to  a  friend  on  the  result  of 
Moravian  preaching,     i.  ^*  It    has  utterly  de-. 


if  ^ 

r 

i ' 

I       ^ 

i  ■   .  _ 

i  ^    1 

1 

:  i  :!  : 

1 1   )! 

f  ■ 

84 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


-1 


H 


il 

f  ''l 


stroyed  their  faith."  "Those  who  before  had 
the  witness  in  themselves  of  redemption  in  the 
blood  of  Christ,  who  had  the  Spirit  of  God 
clearly  witnessing  with  their  spirit,  that  they 
were  the  children  of  God,  after  hearing  these 
but  a  few  times,  began  to  doubt.  2.  "  This 
preaching  has  destroyed  the  love  of  God  in 
many  souls."  3.  "This  preaching  has  greatly 
impaired,  if  not  destroyed,  the  love  of  their 
neighbor  in  many  souls."  4.  "These  humble 
preachers  utterly  destroy  the  humility  of  their 
hearers."  5.  "  This  preaching  destroys  true, 
genuine  simj^licity."  6.  "  I  have  known  a  short 
attendance  on  this  preaching  to  destroy  both 
gratitude,  justice,  mercy  and  truth."  Journal, 
Vol.  ii.,  pp.  215,  216. 

9.  Another  effect  of  this  preaching  :  "  Oh, 
what  a  pattern  of  holiness  and  stability  of  mind 
was  this  very  man,  till  he  was  stolen  away  by 
the  men  whose  *  words  are  smoother  than  oil.' 
But  were  they  not  to  him  very  swords  .?"  Jour^ 
nal,  Vol.  ii.,  p.  338. 

10.  These  are  a  few  of  the  troubles  that  Mr, 
Wesley  had  with  the  only  people  who  did  not 
hold  to  the  "  residue  theory  of  regeneration," 
and  were,  as  we  shall  shortly  see,  the  real  rea- 
sons for  his  writing  the  sermon  on  "  Sin  in 
Believers." 


NOTES  ON  BOLANDi 


85 


IW 


11.  And  just  at  the  time  that  he  wrote  this 
sermon,  which  he  had  been  preaching  and 
teaching  to  save  his  societies  from  the  delusion 
of  Moravianism,  many  of  his  societies  were 
harassed  by  this  delusion,  that  Mr.  Wesley 
called  a  new  doctrine.  "  At  every  place  I 
endeavored  to  settle  the  minds  of  the  poor 
people,  who  had  been  not  a  little  harassed  by  a 

new  doctrine,  which  honest  Jonathan  C and 

his  converts  had  industriously  propagated 
among  them, —  that  *  there  is  no  sin  in  believers  ; 
but  the  moment  we  believe,  sin  is  destroyed, 
root  and  branch  ! '  "     Journal,  Vol.  iii.,  p.  137. 

12.  I  think  we  are  prepared  to  hear  Mr.  Wes- 
ley say  :  "  I  retired  to  Lewisham,  and  wrote  the 
sermon  on  '  Sin  .it  Believers  '  in  order  to  remove 
a  mistake  which  some  were  laboring  to  propa- 
gate,—  that  there  is  no  sin  in  any  that  are 
justified." 

13.  We  are  also  prepared  for  the  fifth,  sixth 
and  seventh  paragraphs  of  the  introduction  of 
his  sermon.  We  will  give  a  part  of  the  fifth 
paragraph  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  may  not 
be  familieir  with  the  sermon. 

Count  Zinzendorf  : — "  *  All  true  believers  are 
not  only  saved  from  the  dominion  of  sin,  but 
from  the  being  of  inward  as  well  as  outward 
sin,  so  that  it  no  longer  remains  in  them  ':  and 


1T{ 


S6 


NOTES  ON  BOLAND. 


H-  ! 


from  theni,  about  twenty  years  ago,  many  of  our 
countrymen  imbibed  the  same  opinion,  that 
even  the  corruption  of  nature  is  no  more  in 
those  who  believe  in  Christ."  We  have  briefly 
sketched  Mr.  Wesley's  twenty  years*  trouble 
with  the  Moravians,  the  only  people  who  have 
taught  that  the  soul  is  entirely  sanctified 
when  regenerated. 

Mr.  Wesley  had  been  preaching  and  teaching 
from  the  year  1740  that  there  was  "  Sin  in 
Believers,"  which  may  be  seen  in  all  his  replies 
to  the  Moravians,  which  are  too  lengthy  to 
insert  here.  We  will  give  below  a  few  selec- 
tions from  his  Journals  covering  the  twenty 
years  that  he  opposed  Moravianism. 

1.  '*I  expounded  those  words,  *I  write  unto 
you,  little  children,  because  your  sins  are  for- 
given you,'  and  described  the  state  of  those  who 
have  forgiveness  of  sins,  but  have  not  yet  a 
clean  heart."     Journal,  Vol.  i.,  p.  271. 

2.  Answer  to  the  Rev.  W.  Church,  February, 
1744.  "The  momenta  sinner  is  justified,  his 
heart  is  cleansed  in  a  low  degree  ;  but  yet  he 
has  not  a  clean  heart  in  the  full,  proper  sense, 
till  he  is  made  perfect  in  love." 

3.  ''  I  went  on  to  Rotherham,  and  talked  with 
five  men  and  six  women  (as  I  had  -done  with 
many   others    before   in  various    places),   who 


I    ; 

I    3_ 


Notes  ON  BOtANC, 


8t 


believe  they  are  saved  from  sin,  and  this  fact  I 
believe."     Journal,  1759. 

4.  **  About  thirty  persons  were  met  together 
at  Otley.  After  prayer  was  ended,  when  they 
proceeded  to  speak  of  the  several  states  of  their 
souls,  some,  with  deep  sighs  and  groans,  corri- 
plained  of  the  burden  they  felt  for  the  remains 
of  indwelling  sin,  seeing  in  a  clearer  light  than 
ever  before  the  necessity  of  a  deliverance  from 
it."     Journal,   1760. 

5.  "  I  met  again  with  those  who  believe  God 
has  delivered  them  from  the  root  of  bitterness. 
Their  number  increases  daily."     Journal,  1761. 

6.  "This  morning  I  have  spoken  with  four  or 
five  who  seem  to  have  been  set  at  liberty  within 
this  month.  I  believe,  within  five  weeks,  six  in 
one  class  have  received  remission  of  sins,  and 
five  in  one  band  received  a  second  blessing." 
Journal,  1761. 

7.  **  Two  gave  a  plain,  simple  account  of  the 
manner  wherein  God  had  cleansed  their  hearts, 
so  that  they  now  felt  no  anger,  pride,  or  self- 
will  ;  but  continual  love,  and  prayer,  and  praise." 
Journal,  1762. 

Conclusions  from  the  foregoing :—- We  have 
learned  by  investigating  this  subject,  i.  That 
Mr.  Wesley,  after  he  had  been  converted, 
examined  his  experience  by  the  Word  of  God, 


H 


i 


u         i 


i$ 


NOTES  ON  BOLAND. 


i  'tl 


and  that  he  could  not  say  that  he  v^as  free  from 
sin.  His  **  desires  '*  were  not  all  new  ;  he  had 
no  "settled,  lasting  joy  ;"  the  peace  which  he  had 
did  not  exclude  all  "doubt"  and  "fear,"  and, 
therefore,  did  not  need  to  refer  to  any  dogma  of 
the  Church  to  know  whether  there  was  "  sin  in 
a  believer  "  or  not. 

2.  That  Mr.  Wesley  sought  and  found  the 
second  work  of  grace,  which  was  greater  than 
the  ^rst.  "  I  never  knew  before  what  it  was  to 
be  still  before  God." 

3.  That  Mr.  Wesley  closely  examined  the 
lives  of  the  Moravians  and  said  that  they  were 
"  mystical  not  scriptural ; "  that  there  was 
"guile"  in  their  words;  that  they  "denied 
self-denial  ;"  that  they  were  "conformed  "  to  the 
"world;"  that  they  were  not  "zealous  of  good 
works." 

4.  That  Mr.  Wesley  did  not  write  his  sermon 
on  "  Sin  in  Believers  "  to  correct  the  extrava- 
gances of  Bell  and  Maxfield  ;  that  he  did  write 
his  "Farther  Thoughts"  and  his  "Tract  on 
Enthusiasm,  etc.,"  for  that  purpose. 

5.  That  Mr.  Wesley's  societies  had  been  fre- 
quently destroyed  by  the  teaching  of  the  Mora- 
vians, for  twenty  years  previous  to  the  writing 
of  the  sermon  on  "Sin  in  Believers." 

6.  That  Mr.  Wesley  had  been  preaching  and 


ill 


i 


NOTES  ON  BOLAND. 


8^ 


teaching  for  twenty  years  before  he  wrote  this 
sermon,  that  there  was  "Sin  in  Believers." 
This  sermon  was  the  summing  up  of  his  best 
thought  upon  the  subject. 

7.  That  Mr.  Boland  did  not  properly  investi- 
gate this  matter  or  he  could  not  have  been  guilty 
of  so  shamefully  misrepresenting  Mr.  Wesley's 
teaching.  This  is  what  Mr.  Wesley  would  call 
a  sin  of  ignorance,  that  any  person  might  com- 
mit. Previous  to  investigation  we  knew  not 
that  Mr.  Boland  was  wrong,  but  we  did  not 
expect  to  find  such  wholesale  misrepresentation. 

Boland,  p.  yS. — "Let  me  call  attention  to 
two  significant  historical  facts.  First,  in  1784, 
only  seven  years  before  his  death,  Mr.  Wesley 
rejected  the  'residue  theory  '  so  far  as  to  cut  it 
out  of  our  Articles  of  Faith." 

Note. —  i.  The  following  is  the  unabridged 
article  :  "  Original  sin  standeth  not  in  the  fol- 
lowing Adam  (as  the  Pelagians  do  vainly  talk), 
but  it  is  the  fault  and  corruption  of  the  nature 
of  every  man  that  naturally  is  engendered  of 
the  offspring  of  Adam  ;  whereby  man  is  very 
far  gone  from  original  righteousness,  and  is  of 
his  own  nature  inclined  to  evil,  so  that  the  flesh 
lusteth  always  contrary  to  the  Spirit ;  and  there- 
fore in  every  person  born  into  this  world,  it 
deserveth    God's  wrath    and   damnation.     And 


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60 


NOTES  ON  BOLAN0. 


this  infection  of  nature  cloth  remain,  yea,  in 
them  that  are  regenerated;  whereby  the  lust  of 
the  flesh,  called  in  the  Greek  pJi7'oiiema  sarkoSy 
which  some  do  expound  the  wisdom,  some 
sensuality,  some  the  affection,  some  the  ^desire 
of  the  flesh,  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God. 
And  although  there  is  no  condemnation  for 
them  that  believe  and  are  baptized,  yet  the 
Apostle  doth  confess  that  concupiscence  and 
lust  hath  of  itself  the  nature  of  sin." 

2.  All  who  are  familiar  with  Mr.  Wesley's 
sermons  and  general  teaching,  may  readily 
observe  that  what  Mr.  Wesley  expunged  from 
the  Ninth  Article  was  contrary  to  his  general 
teaching,  and  especially  to  his  sermon  on  the 
"Repentance  of  Believers."  Mr.  Wesley  con- 
sidered that  it  was  contrary  to  the  Prayers  and 
Homilies  of  the  Church. 

3.  There  are  two  very  strong  reasons  why 
Mr.  Wesley  abridged  this  Article  before  he  gave 
it  to  American  Methodism.  These  reasons  are 
found  in  the  words  that  he  expunged. 

First :  It  implied  that  God  would  damn  men 
for  the  sins  of  their  birth,  as  expressed  in  these 
words.  "  In  every  person  born  into  this  world, 
it  deserveth  God's  wrath  and  damnation." 
This  is  contrary  not  only  to  Mr.  Wesley's  ser- 
mons on  "Sin  in  Believers"  and  "Repentance 


i 


KOTES  ON  BOLAM0. 


01 


6f  Believers/*  but  his  whole  teaching  from  1727 
to  1791. 

Second:  The  rest  of  what  Mr.  Wesley  ex- 
i:)unged  from  the  Ninth  Article  implied  that 
this  inherited  depravity  remained  in  the  regen 
erate  throughout  the  whole  of  their  earthly  life. 
Some  of  Mr.  Wesley's  preachers  were  mislead 
by  this  article,  and  preached  that  the  children 
of  God  were  in  a  state  of  damnation  until 
inherited  depravity  is  totally  destroyed.  In  the 
year  1758,  in  a  letter  to  Miss  H ,  Mr.  Wes- 
ley says:  "'The  doctrine  of  perfection,'  you 
say,  'has  perplexed  you  much,  since  some  of 
our  preachers  have  placed  it  in  so  dreadful  a 
light ;  one  of  them  affirming  a  believer,  till 
perfect,  is  under  the  curse  of  God,  and  in  a 
state  of  damnation.  Another,  if  you  die  be- 
fore you  have  attained  it,  you  will  surely 
perish.'  "     Works,  Vol.  xii.,  p.  227. 

What  Mr.  Boland  has  attempted  to  use  as  a 
weapon  against  the  **  residue  theory  "  is  posi- 
tive proof  of  the  value  Mr.  Wesley  attached  to 
it.  Mr.  Wesley  removed  that  which  might  be 
used  against  his  sermon  on  the  "  Repentance  of 
Believers." 

Comment. —  It  is  possible  that  Mr.  Boland 
did  not  see  these  reasons  for  Mr.  Wesley 
expunging    certain    clauses    from     the    Ninth 


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NOtES  ON  BOLAND. 


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Article  ;  but  there  is  no  excuse  for  him  not 
knowing  that  Mr.  Wesley  did  not  give  up  the 
''residue  theory  of  regeneration."  If  he  had 
read  the  minutes  of  subsequent  conferences,  he 
could  not  have  written  his  book  without  deliber- 
ately writing  what  he  knew  to  be  untrue.  If  he 
had  read  Mr.  Wesley's  latest  writings  he  could 
not  have  failed  to  see  that  Mr.  Wesley  had  not 
changed  his  doctrine  in  any  particular. 

Later  than  1784,  Mr.  Wesley  speaks  of 
believers  being  saved  from  sin. 

1.  To  F.  Garretson,  1785,  Vol.  xiii.,  p.  69. 
"The  more  explicitly  and  strongly  you  press  all 
believers  to  aspire  after  full  sanctification,  as 
attainable  now  by  simple  faith,  the  more  the 
whole  work  of  God  will  prosper." 

2.  "As  long  as  you  are  yourself  earnestly 
aspiring  after  a  full  deliverance  from  all  sin, 
and  a  renewal  in  the  whole  image  of  God, 
God  will  prosper  you  in  your  labor;  especially 
if  you  constantly  and  strongly  exhort  all  believ- 
ers to  expect  full  sanctification  now,  by  simple 
faith."     Vol.  xii.,  p.  527. 


iir 


:n      -1. 


^.      vv  v^     will     oiiuvv     J.U1  Clival      ci.ic4.i.     x»xx.       . .  SCiSy 

did  not  give  up  the  **  residue  theory,"  not  to  the 
day  of  his  death.  Journal,  Vol.  iv.,  p.  432. 
August,  1788. 

"  One  of  the  most  important  points  consid- 


I 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


9S 


ered  at  this  conference,  was  that  of  leaving  the 
Church.     The  sum  of  a  long  conversation  was  : 

1.  That,  in  the  course  of  fifty  years,  we  had 
neither  premeditately  nor  willingly  varied  from 
it  in  one  article  either  of  doctrine  or  discipline. 

2.  That  we  were  not  yet  conscious  of  varying 
from  it  in  any  point  of  doctrine."  Yet,  Mr. 
Boland  has  the  audacity  to  say  that  Mr.  Wesley 
expunged  the  "residue  theory"  from  the  Ninth 
Article  in  the  year  1784. 

4.  We  have  additional  and  conclusive  evi- 
dence that  Mr.  Boland's  contention  concern- 
ing Mr.  Wesley's  action  as  to  the  **  residue 
theory  "  is  false.  This  evidence  is  found  in 
Mr.  Wesley's  Minutes  as  reprinted  from  those 
of  1/91  and  collated  with  those  of  1789.  Here 
we  read  that  Mr.  Wesley  asked,  in  his  last  con- 
ference, this  question  :  "  What  can  be  done  in 
order  to  revive  the  work  of  God  where  it  is 
decayed  ? "  The  following  answer  was  given  : 
**  Be  more  active  in  dispensing  the  books,  par- 
ticularly the  sermon  on  *  The  Good  Steward,'  on 
*  Indwelling  sin,'  the  *  Repentance  of  Believers,' 
and  'The  Scripture  Way  of  Salvation.'"     Vol. 

See    also    Editor's    iiuLc   uii    p. 


p.   328. 


299. 

We  see  that  Mr.  Wesley,  as  late  as  1789,  was 
exhorting  his  preachers  to  spread  the  sermon  on 
"Sin  in  Believers,  etc." 


It 


'      ±..'ali: 


94 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


If 


M 


11 


i'! 


5.  The  following  deliverance  in  the  Confer- 
ence of  1789  explodes  Mr.  Boland's  preten- 
sions:—  "Strongly  and  explicitly  exhort  all 
believers  to  *  go  on  to  perfection.'  That  we  may 
*  all  speak  the  same  thing,'  I  ask,  once  for  all, 
shall  we  defend  this  perfection,  or  give  it  up  ? 
You  all  agree  to  defend  it,  meaning  thereby  (as 
we  did  from  the  beginning),  salvation  from  all 
sin,  by  the  love  of  God  and  man  filling  our 
heart.  The  Papists  say,  *  This  cannot  be  attained 
till  we  have  been  refined  by  the  fire  of  purga- 
tory.' The  Calvinists  say,  *  Nay,  it  will  be 
attained  as  soon  as  the  soul  and  body  part.'  The 
old  Methodists  say,  '  It  may  be  attained  before 
we  die  ;  a  moment  after  is  too  late.'  Is  it  so  or 
not.-*  You  are  all  agreed  we  may  be  saved 
from  all  sin  before  death.  The  substance,  then, 
is  settled ;  but,  as  to  the  circumstance,  is  the 
change  gradual  or  instantaneous  ?  It  is  both 
the  one  and  the  other.  From  the  moment  we 
are  justified,  there  may  be  a  gradual  sanctifica- 
tion,  a  growing  in  grace,  a  daily  advance  in  the 
knowledge  and  love  of  God.  And  if  sin  cease 
before  death,  there  must,  in  the  nature  of  the 
thing,  be  an  instantaneous  change ;  there  must 
be  a  last  moment  wherein  it  does  exist,  and  a 
first  moment  wherein  it  does  not.  *  But  should 
we  in  preaching  insist   both  on   one  and  the 


1 

I 


w 


...  -t._ 


If 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


95 


other?'  Certainly  we  must  insist  on  the  grad- 
ual change  ;  and  that  earnestly  and  continually. 
And  are  there  not  reasons  why  we  should  insist 
on  the  instantaneous  also?  If  there  be  such  a 
blessed  change  before  death,  should  we  not 
encourage  all  believers  to  expect  it  ?  and  the 
rather,  because  constant  experience  shows  the 
more  earnestly  they  expect  this,  the  more 
swiftly  and  steadily  does  the  gradual  work  of 
God  go  on  in  the  soul ;  the  more  watchful  they 
are  against  all  sin,  the  more  careful  to  grow  in 
grace,  the  more  zealous  of  good  works,  and  the 
more  punctual  in  their  attendance  on  all  the 
ordinances  of  God.  Whereas,  just  the  contrary 
effects  are  observed  whenever  this  expectation 
ceases.  They  are  'saved  by  hope,*  by  this  hope 
of  a  total  change,  with  a  gradual  increasing 
salvation. 

"  Destroy  this  hope,  and  that  salvation  stands 
still,  or,  rather,  decreases  daily.  Therefore  who- 
ever will  advance  the  gradual  change  in  believers 
should  strongly  insist  on  the  instantaneous." 
Works,  Vol.  xiii.,  p.  328. 


11 


CONCLUSION  FROM  THE  ABOVE. 


We  have  seen  that  Ivli.  Sol 


--'^"'^d'z/^r^  must  be 


the  product  of  the  disordered  state  of  his  brain, 


11 

l<  I 


II' 


96 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


if  not  of  his  heart.  It  was  either  gross 
ignorance  that  caused  Mr.  Boland  to  write  many 
things  found  in  his  book,  or  else  his  book  is  a 
deliberate  perversion  of  the  vital  doctrines  of 
Methodism.  We  go  on  to  examine  what  he 
calls  his  second  historical  fact. 

BoLAND,  p.  79. —  Second  fact:  **  In  1785,  one 
year  later,  he  published  his  sermon  on  *  Perfec- 
tion '  in  which  he  says  not  a  word  about  *  inbred 
sin  '  or  *  the  seeds  of  sin  in  believers.'  " 

Note. —  Did  Mr.  Boland  not  know  that  the 
very  sermon  that  caused  him  to  write  his  book, 
and  has  given  him  all  his  trouble,  does  not  con- 
tain the  words  "inbred  sin"  either.!*  He  may 
say  that  they  were  implied.  If  so,  why  did  he 
not  say  that  they  were  also  implied  in  his  ser- 
mon on  perfection  ?  Mr.  Wesley  was  learned, 
was  a  Christian  and  a  theologian,  and  was  not 
obliged  to  use  one  term  continually  to  express 
his  thoughts.  He  had  a  good  command  of 
language.  If  it  had  not  even  been  implied 
that  there  was  "inbred  sin  "  in  believers,  it 
would  not  prove  that  Mr.  Wesley  had  changed 
his  mind,  and  consequently  his  doctrine.  We 
could  not  justly  arrive  at  that  conclusion.  Mr. 
Boland  has  not  attempted  to  prove  that  he  did 
change,  he  (jmy  insinuates  that  hp  did. 

Comment. —  Mr.  Wesley  wrote  two  sermons 


Pli 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


97 


on  Christian  Perfection,  and  we  will  select  some 
sentences  from  them.  In  his  sermon  on  "  Not 
as  though  I  had  already  attained,  either  were 
already  perfect,"  (Phil.  3:  12)  he  shows  i.  In  what 
sense  Christians  are  not,  and  11.  In  what  sense 
they  are  perfect,  i.  He  proved  that  Christians 
are  not  free  from  ignorance,  mistakes,  infirm- 
ities, or  temptations.  2.  That  a  Christian  is 
so  far  perfect  as  not  to  commit  sin,  but  con- 
verted people  are  not  free  from  evil  thoughts 
and  tempers.  "But  it  is  only  of  those  who  are 
strong  in  the  Lord,  *  and  have  overcome  the 
wicked  one,'  or  rather  of  those  who  *  have 
known  him,  that  is,  from  the  beginning,'  that  it 
can  be  affirmed  they  are  in  such  a  sense  perfect 
as,  secondly,  to  be  freed  from  evil  thoughts  and 
evil  tempers." 

3.  He  teaches  that  perfect  Christians  are 
freed  from  evil  thoughts  and  evil  tempers. 
''  And,  indeed,  whence  should  evil  thoughts 
proceed  in  the  servant  who  is  as  his  Master  ? " 
"  And  as  Christians  indeed  are  freed  from 
evil  thoughts,  so  are  they,  secondly,  from  evil 
tempers."  4.  "  Everyone  of  these  can  say 
with  St.  Paul,  *  I  am  crucified  with  Christ ; 
nevertheless  I  live  ;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth 
in  me': — words  that  manifestly  describe  a 
deliverance  from  inward   as   well  as  from  out- 


n;r 


98 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


n 


ward  sin."  "  He  therefore  who  Hveth  in  true 
believers  hath  'purified  their  hearts  by  faith  '  ; 
insomuch  that  every  one  that  hath  Christ  in 
him,  the  hope  of  glory,  *  purifieth  himself  even 
as  he  is  pure,'  (i  John,  3 :  3)  he  is  purified  from 
pride,  for  Christ  was  lowly  of  heart.  He  is 
pure  from  self-will  or  desire,  for  Christ  desired 
only  to  do  the  will  of  His  Father,  and  to  finish 
his  work,  and  he  is  pure  from  anger."  **Thus 
doth  Jesus  'save  his  people  from  their  sins':  and 
not  only  from  outward  sins,  but  also  from  the 
sins  of  their  hearts;  from  evil  thoughts,  and 
from  evil  tempers." 

5.  Mr.  Wesley  wrote  a  sermon  on  Perfec- 
tion from  **  Let  us  go  on  unto  Perfection " 
(Heb.  6  :  i.)  In  this  sermon  he  showed  Jirst  in 
what  this  Perfection  consisted,  i.  He  posi- 
tively states  that  it  is  salvation  from  the  very 
root  of  sin.  "Thus  you  experience  that  He 
whose  name  is  called  Jesus  does  not  bear  that 
name  in  vain  ;  that  He  does,  in  fact,  '  save  His 
people  from  their  sins  ; '  the  root  as  well  as  the 
branches.  And  this  salvation  from,  sin,  from 
all  sin,  is  another  description  of  perfection ; 
though,  indeed,  it  expresses  only  the  least,  the 
lowest  branch  of  it,  only  the  negative  part  of 
the  great  salvation." 

2.     He   expostulates  with   the    opposers    of 


m 


NOTES    ON    I50LAND. 


99 


Kt 


i:"P 


Christian  Perfection.  **  Is  not  sin  the  greatest 
evil  on  this  side  of  hell  ?  And  if  so,  does  it  not 
naturally  follow  that  an  entire  deliverance  from 
it  is  one  of  the  greatest  blessings  on  this  side 
of  heaven  ? "  v  You  do  not  love  either  the 
devil  or  his  works ;  you  rather  wish  to  be  totally 
delivered  from  them  ;  to  have  sin  rooted  out 
both  of  your  life  and  your  heart." 

3.  '*  They  will  all  allow  all  you  say  of  the 
love  of  God  and  man,  of  the  mind  which  was 
in  Christ,  of  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit,  of  the 
image  of  God,  of  universal  holiness,  of  entire 
self-dedication,  of  sanctification  in  spirit,  soul 
and  body ;  yea,  and  of  the  offering  up  of  all 
our  thoughts,  words  and  actions,  as  a  sacrifice  to 
God.  All  this  they  will  allow  so  we  will*  allow 
sin,  a  little  sin,  to  remain  in  us  till  death." 

4.  It  is,  therefore,  a  settled  fact  that  Mr. 
Wesley  did  teach  in  his  sermons  on  "  Chris- 
tian Perfection"  that  there  is  *'sin  in  believers," 
and  that  the  salvation  of  the  soul  from  **  evil 
thoughts,"  "  evil  tempers,"  and  "  the  root  as  well 
as  the  branches "  is  "  the  negative  part "  of 
Christian  Perfection. 

If  we  had  only  these  two  sermons  to  prove 
that  Mr.  Wesley  did  not  give  up  the  **  residue 
theory  of  regeneration "  it  would  be  proof 
abundant  to  stop  the  mouth  of  every  gain  say  er. 


1  :s! 


'*:  . 


100 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


i 


For  the  special  benefit  of  those  who  may  not 
have  recourse  to  Mr.  Wesley's  works  to  see  for 
themselves,  and  read  his  strong  utterances,  in  his 
latest  thoughts  and  sermons  on  inbred  sin,  we 
will  give  a  few  paragraphs,  with  dates,  from  his 
works. 

1.  "I  met  such  a  select  society  as  I  have  not 
seen  since  I  left  London.  They  were  about 
forty,  of  whom  I  did  not  find  one  who  had  not 
a  clear  witness  of  being  saved  from  inbred  sin." 
June,  1784. 

2.  "At  our  love-feast  in  the  evening,  several 
of  our  friends  declared  how  God  had  saved  them 
from  inbred  sin,  with  such  exactness,  both  of 
sentiment  and  language,  as  clearly  showed  they 
were  taught  of  God."     September,  1785. 

3.  "  But  whether  you  were  or  were  not, 
whether  you  are  Protestants  or  Papists,  neither 
you  nor  he  can  ever  enter  into  glory,  unless  you 
are  now  cleansed  from  all  pollution  of  flesh  and 
spirit,  and  perfect  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God." 
May,  1786. 

4.  *'  Have  you  received  a  clear,  direct  witness 
that  you  were  saved  from  inbred  sin }  At  what 
time  .-*  In  what  manner  ?  And  do  you  find  it 
as  clcai  d.i>  it  was  at  first  ?  Dc  you  feel  ?»n 
increase  .-*" 

We  cannot  stop  here,  for  many  of  our  breth- 


!«il 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


101 


rcn  in  the  ministry  have  said  that  Mr.  Wesley 
did  change  his  views  and  we  must  quote  para- 
graphs from  some  of  his  latest  sermons  to  show 
that  they  did  not  inform  their  minds  before 
they  came  to   that  conclusion. 

I.  The  following  paragraph  is  from  Mr. 
Wesley's  sermon  **  On  the  Discoveries  of  Faith," 
written  at  Yarm,  June  ii,  1788.  Paragraph 
16:  "To  these  more  especially  we  may  apply 
the  exhortation  of  the  Apostle  Paul :  '  Leaving 
the  first  principles  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ,' 
namely,  repentance  and  faith.  Met  us  go  on  unto 
perfection.*  But  in  what  sense  are  we  to  leave 
those  principles  .-*  Not  absolutely ;  for  v^^e  are 
to  retain  both  one  and  the  other,  the  knov^ledge 
of  ourselves,  and  the  knowledge  of  God,  unto 
our  lives'  end  ;  but  only  comparatively  ;  not  fix- 
ing, as  we  did  at  first,  our  whole  attention  upon 
them  ;  thinking  and  talking  perpetually  of  noth- 
ing else,  but  either  repentance  or  faith.  But 
what  is  the  perfection  here  spoken  oi?  It  is 
not  only  a  deliverance  from  doubts  and  fears, 
but  from  sin  ;  from  all  inward  as  well  as  out- 
ward sin  ;  from  evil  desires^  and  evil  tempers ^  as 
well  as  from  evil  words  and  works.  Yea,  and 
it  is  not  only  a  negative  blessing,  a  deliverance 
from  all  evil  dispositiuns,  implied  in  that  expres- 
sion, *  I  will  circumcise  thy  heart ; '  but  a  posi- 


ll 

I 

1 

102 


NOTES    ON    nOLANJ3. 


tive  one  likewise ;  even  the  planting  all  good 
dispositions  in  their  place ;  clearly  implied  in 
that  other  expression,  'To  love  the  Lord,  your 
God,  with  all  your  heart,  and  with  all  your 
soul'  " 

2.  Those  who  have  read  the  paragraph  above 
have  seen  that  Mr.  Wesley  had  not  given  up 
the  "residue  theory  of  regeneration"  in  the 
year  1788;  and  those  who  read  the  paragraph 
below  will  see  that  he  had  not  given  it  up  in 
the  year  1790,  one  year  before  his  death. 

3.  **  But  is  there  no  exception  as  to  the 
wickedness  of  man's  heart  ?  Yes,  in  those  that 
are  born  of  God.  '  He  that  is  born  of  God 
keepeth  himself,  and  that  wicked  one  toucheth 
him  not.'  God  has  'purified  his  heart  by  faith,' 
so  that  his  wickedness  is  departed  from  him. 
*  Old  things  are  passed  away,  and  all  things,  in 
him  'are  become  new.'  So  that  his  heart  is  no 
longer  desperately  wicked,  but  'renewed  in 
righteousness  and  true  holiness.'  Only  let  it 
be  remembered,  that  the  heart,  even  of  a 
believer,  is  not  wholly  purified  when  he  is  justi- 
fied. Sin  is  then  overcome,  but  it  is  not  rooted 
out ;  it  is  conquered,  but  not  destroyed.  Expe- 
rience shows  him,  jirst,  that  the  roots  of  sin,  self- 
will,  pride  and  idolatry,  remain  still  in  his  heart. 
But  as  long  as  he  continues  to  watch  and  pray 


i  i 


i'*l^ 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


103 


none  of  them  can  prevail  against  him.  Experi- 
ence teaches  him,  secondlyy  that  sin  (generally 
pride  or  self-will)  cleaves  to  his  last  actions  :  so 
that,  even  with  regard  to  these,  he  finds  an 
absolute  necessity  for  the  blood  of  atonement." 
Sermon  on  the  Deceitfulness  of  Man's  Heart. 
Halifax,  April  2J,  1790. 

4.  The  paragraph  below  is  a  reply  to  all  Mr. 
Wesley's  critics.  Those  who  have  grossly  mis- 
represented him  may  read  it.  Then  they  may 
seek  forgiveness.  They  need  not  hope  to  be 
saved,  until  they  make  a  public  apology.  Mr. 
Boland  is  only  one  of  them.  Their  name  is 
Legion.  "Such  has  been  my  judgment  for 
three-score  years,  without  any  material  altera- 
tion. Only,  about  fifty  years  ago,  I  had  a 
clearer  view  than  before  of  Justification  by 
faith  ;  and  in  this,  from  that  very  hour,  I  never 
varied  ;  no,  not  an  hair's  breadth.  Nevertheless, 
an  ingenious  man  has  publicly  accused  me  of  a 
thousand  variations.  I  pray  God  not  to  lay 
this  to  his  charge.  I  am  now  on  the  borders  of 
the  grave ;  but,  by  the  grace  of  God,  I  still  wit- 
ness the  same  confession.  Indeed,  some  have 
supposed  that  when  I  began  to  declare,  *  By 
grace  ye  are  saved  through  faith,'  I  retracted 
what  I  had  before  maintained  :  *  Without  holi- 
ness no  man  shall  see  the  Lord.'     But  it  is  an 


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104 


NOTES    ON    IJOLAND. 


entire  mistake :  these  Scriptures  will  consist 
with  each  other;  the  meaning  of  the  former 
being  plainly  this, —  by  faith  we  are  saved  from 
sin  and  made  holy.  The  imagination  that  faith 
supersedes  holiness,  is  the  marrow  of  Anti- 
nomianism." 

Sermon  on  "  The  Wedding  Garment."  Made- 
ly,  March  26,  1790. 

5.  Those  who  have  said  that  Mr.  Wesley 
changed  his  views  on  Christian  Perfection  have, 
thereby,  either  confessed  their  ignorance  of  his 
latest  utterances  and  writings ;  or  that  they 
have  deliberately  affirmed  what  they  knew  to  be 
totally  false. 

BoLAND,  p.  79. — "  I  have  selected  four  para- 
graphs from  the  two  sermons  referred  to." 

Note. —  Mr.  Boland  has  not  selected  a  para- 
graph from  either  of  these  sermons.  He  should 
turn  to  his  dictionary  and  learn  the  meaning  of 
the  word  paragraph.  We  have  lost  much  time 
trying  to  find  in  Mr.  Wesley's  sermons  what 
Mr.  Boland  calls  paragraphs.  In  almost  every 
case  he  commences  in  the  middle  of  Mr.  Wes- 
ley's paragraphs.  In  many  instances  he  has 
left  out  words,  and  in  some  whole  sentences. 

Boland,  p.  80. — "  What  Mr.  Wesley  means 
by  the  'being  of  sin  '  and  a  'heart  not  yet  puri- 
fied '  is  the  *  infection  of  our  nature.'  " 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


105 


Note. —  Mr.  Wesley  means  more  than  that. 
He  used  such  terms  as  the  following  to  describe 
it:  "A  whole  body  of  sin  remains  in  our 
heart,"  "  Deep  corruption "  and  "  the  inbred 
monster." 

BoLAND,  p.  8 1. — **  Now  the  difference  be- 
tween Paul  and  the  Ninth  Article  of  the  Church 
of  England  is  that  Paul  used  every  one  of  these 
terms  to  describe  the  condition  of  the  unregen- 
erated  man,  while  the  Ninth  Article  applies 
them  to  the  regenerated  believer ;  and  Mr. 
Wesley,  like  a  loyal  Churchman,  followed  the 
Article  of  faith  instead  of  Paul !  " 

Note. —  If  Paul  **  used  all  these  terms  to 
describe  the  condition  of  the  unregenerated," 
he  made  a  great  mistake  in  addressing  all  his 
letters  to  the  Churches.  They  should  have 
been  addressed  to  the  frequenters  of  the  ball- 
rooms, barrooms,  card-tables  and  theaters. 

Comment. — The  commands  of  all  the  Epistles 
were  given  to  the  Churches. 

They  are  pointed:— "Put  off,"  "Put  on," 
"  Let  us  cleanse  ourselves  from  all  filthiness  of 
the  flesh  and  spirit,"  ''  Mortify,"  "  Mortify  the 
deeds  of  the  body,"  *'  Purify  your  hearts." 

The  prayers, — "  Make  you  perfect,"  "  The 
God  of  peace  sanctify  you  wholly,"  "  Rooted 
and  grounded  in  love,"  "God  of  hope  fill  you." 


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f     1  : 

106 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


The  promises  are  numerous  and  full, — "  He 
will  do  it."  "  Exceeding  abundantly  above  all 
we  can  ask  or  think."  **  He  is  faithful  and 
just."  Paul  applied  the  term  "carnal"  to 
"babes  in  Christ."  He  called  "sanctified" 
men  "  carnal." 

BoLAND,  p.  82. — "The  difference  between  St. 
Paul  and  Mr.  Wesley  is  that  Paul  says  that  *  the 
old  man  is  crucified,*  the  'body  of  sin  is  de- 
stroyed,' and  that  we  are  *  made  free  from  the 
law  of  sin  and  death,'  when  we  'put  off  the  old 
man  and  put  on  the  new  man,  which,  according 
to  the  divine  pattern,  is  created  in  righteousness 
and  true  holiness  :'  while  Mr.  Wesley  says  that, 
*  If  there  be  no  second  change  after  Justifica- 
tion, then  we  must  remain  full  of  sin  until 
death '  !  " 

Note. —  The  darkness  of  unbelief  is  dense. 
Inbred  sin  cannot  be  hidden.  It  will  pervert 
the  Holy  Scriptures.  We  cannot  say  that  Mr. 
Boland  has  done  this  deliberately  or  knowingly, 
but  we  must  prove  that  he  has  done  so. 

Comment. —  If  St.  Paul  had  given  us  these 
Scriptures  in  Mr.  Boland's  version,  we  would 
dissent  from  Mr.  Wesley.  St.  Paul  did  not 
say, — "The  body  of  sin  is  destroyed."  He 
said,  "That  the  body  of  sin  might  be  destroyed." 
Mr.  Boland,   "Made  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and 


< 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


107 


death,"  namely,  inbred  sin.  St.  Paul,  "  Made 
me  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death," — 
nam.ely,  the  Mosaic  law. 

Mr.  Boland,  "Put  off  the  old  man  and  put  on 
the  new  man,  which,  according  to  the  divine 
pattern,  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true 
holiness." 

St.  Paul,  "  That  ye  put  off  concerning  the 
former  conversation,  the  old  man,  which  is  cor- 
rupt according  to  the  deceitful  lusts ;  and  be 
renewed  in  the  spirit  of  your  mind  ;  and  that  ye 
put  on  the  new  man,  which  after  God  is  created 
in  righteousness  and  true  holiness." 

Two  things  are  remarkably  clear  here.  i. 
Mr.  Boland  mutilates  the  sacred  Scriptures,  and 
then  quotes  them  as  the  authorized  version.  2. 
If  he  would  quote  the  Scriptures  as  Paul  wrote 
them,  Mr.  Wesley  would  be  orthodox  and  he 
himself  would  drop  out. 

Boland,  p.  82. — "In  the  sixth  chapter  of 
Romans,  Paul  teaches  clearly  that  the  normal 
state  of  the  divine  life  in  the  soul  includes  or 
presupposes  a  *  crucifixion  of  the  old  man,'  a 
'  destruction  of  the  body  of  sin,'  and  a  *  death  to 
sin.'  This  is  so  clearly  his  meaning  that  Dr.  A. 
Clarke  says :  *  The  man  who  has  received  Christ 
Jesus  by  faith,  and  has  been  made  a  partaker  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  has  had  his  old  man  destroyed. 


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108 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


SO  that  he  is  not  only  Justified  freely  from  all 
sin,  but  wholly  sanctified  !  " 

Note. —  This  is  another  perversion  that  Mr. 
Boland  makes  to  suit  his  theory,  which  could 
not  be  defended  by  the  plain  Scripture,  or  Dr. 
Clarke's  Comments  as  he  wrote  them. 

Comment. —  i.  Dr.  Clarke  did  not  give  this 
comment  on  the  sixth  verse  that  Mr.  Boland 
has  quoted.  2.  The  Dr.  gave  this  note  on  the 
seventh  verse  of  this  chapter  to  prove  that  we 
are  made  holy  in  this  life  and  not  by  death  as 
Dr.  Dodd  taught. 

3.  Mr.  Boland  mutilated  Dr.  Clarke's  note 
to  suit  his  purpose  here.  It  is  a  great  pity  that 
he  did  such  a  thing.  Those  who  are  not 
familiar  with  Dr.  Clarke's  Commentary  would 
not  detect  the  mutilation,  and  those  who  have 
no  recourse  to  the  Dr.'s  comments  might  accept 
Mr.  Boland's  mutilation,  for  Dr.  Clarke's  com- 
ment as  he  wrote  it.  This  is  Dr.  Clarke's  as 
found  in  his  commentary  :  — 

"'  -  oe  7.  He  that  is  dead  is  freed  from  sin, 
A^SiKaLtjTaL,  literally,  is  justified  from  sin  ;  or,  is 
freed  or  delivered  from  it.  Does  not  this 
simply  mean  that  the  man  who  has  received 
Christ  Jesus  by  faith,  and  has  been,  through 
believing,  made  a  partaker  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
has  had  his  old  man,  all  his  evil  propensities 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


109 


^^W- 


; 


destroyed;  so  that  he  is  not  only  justified  freely 
from  all  sin,  but  wholly  sanctified  unto  God  ?  " 

I.  Mr.  Boland  expunged  the  words  ** through 
believing "  because  the  man  had  done  this 
believing  after  he  was  regenerated.  2.  He 
expunged  the  words  "  all  his  evil  propensities," 
because  they  were  removed  by  the  man  *' believ- 
ing." 3.  He  expunged  the  words  **  unto  God," 
because  the  man  was  wholly  sanctified  to  God 
when  "  all  his  evil  propensities "  were  **  des- 
troyed." 

Boland,  p.  83. —  **In  Romans  8  :  i,  4,  Paul, 
in  describing  the  results  of  justifying  faith, 
says  :  *  The  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ 
Jesus  hath  made  me  free  from  the  law  of  sin 
and  death.'  It  is  so  clear  that  Paul  here  teaches 
that  justification  is  immediately  followed  by 
entire  sanctification  that  Dr.  Clarke  says  :  *  The 
gospel  pardons  and  sanctifies  ;  the  carnal  man 
laboring  under  the  overpowering  influence  of 
the  sin  of  his  nature,  ...  is  first  freely  justi- 
fied, he  feels  no  condemnation ;  he  is  fully 
sanctified  —  he  walks  not  after  the  flesh,  but 
after  the  Spirit." 

It  is  indisputable  that  Mr.  Boland  had  his 
own  theory  in  view  when  he  expunged  the  words 
**  (is  sanctified.  He) "  and  run  the  two  sentences 
into   one.      It   is   clear   that    Dr.    Clarke    was 


n 


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'I 


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I 

i 


!' 


110 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


describing,  i.  What  the  law  could  not  do  and 
what  the  gospel  could  do.  2.  That  the  penitent 
are  pardoned  by  faith  in  Jesus.  3.  That  the 
carnal  man  is  sanctified  under  the  gospel.  4. 
That  he  re-stated  in  the  second  sentence  the 
works  of  grace  under  the  gospel.  5.  That 
there  was  pardon  for  the  penitent  and  sanctifi- 
cation  for  the  carnal. 

BoLAND,  p.  83. —  "Again  Mr.  Wesley  says  : 
(3)  Indeed,  this  grand  point  that  there  are  two 
contrary  principles  in  believers  —  nature  and 
grace,  the  flesh  and  spirit  —  runs  through  all 
the  Epistles  of  St.  Paul — yea,  through  all  the 
Holy  Scriptures :  almost  all  the  directions  and 
exhortations  therein  are  founded  on  this  suppo- 
sition, pointing  at  wrong  tempers  or  practices, 
in  those  who  are,  notwithstanding,  acknowl- 
edged by  the  inspired  writers  to  be  believers." 
Sermon  xiii. 

Note. —  Mr.  Boland  thinks  that  this  fact 
does  not  sustain  the  inference  that  there  is  sin 
in  believers.  He  has  positively  declared  that 
Christ  had  ** nature  and  grace  "  in  Him,  "the 
flesh  and  spirit,"  or  He  was  not  truly  a  man. 

Comment. —  i.  Mr.  Roland's  conclusion  here 
is  perfectly  natural  for  him,  and  it  is  logical.  2. 
This  leads  us  back  to  his  major  premise.  3. 
Mr.  Boland  accepted  man,  not  as  he  came  from 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


Ill 


His  maker,  but  as  all  heathen  philosophers  have 
done,  as  they  found  him  after  he  had  fallen.  4. 
He  was  under  the  necessity  to  do  as  they  did, 
namely,  to  lay  down  as  a  premise  that  man  had 
two  natures.  5.  This  made  it  necessary  for 
him  to  conclude  that  Jesus  had  a  fallen  nature 
also,  or  as  he  says,  two  natures.  6.  Jesus 
must,  therefore,  have  had  three  natures  —  He 
had  a  divine  nature,  and  if  Mr.  Boland's  theory 
were  true.  He  had  two  human  natures.  7.  We 
are  not  surprised  that  he  could  not  accept  Mr. 
Wesley's  teaching  that  there  was  sin  in  a 
believer. 

BoLAND,  p.  85. —  "Any  one  can  see  that  the 
work  proposed  in  this  'second  change'  is  to 
destroy  *  nature  '  and  leave  *  grace,'  to  destroy 
the  *  flesh  '  and  leave  the  *  spirit ' ;  to  deny  this 
would  be  to  make  Mr.  Wesley  write  nonsense!" 

Note. —  All  who  will  look  through  Mr. 
Boland's  glasses  will  see  as  he  does.  i.  If  man 
had  not  fallen,  the  second  change  would  not 
save  him  from  the  fall,  but  as  Mr.  Boland  says, 
it  would  destroy  his  nature. 

2.  Mr.  Wesley  believed  that  man  did  fall,  and 
that  his  nature  became  totally  corrupt.  3.  This 
total  corruption,  Mr.  Wesley  taught,  was  called 
in  Scripture  "the  flesh,"  "the  carnal  mind,  etc." 
4.  This  fiesh  or  carnal  mind  he  called,  "  sin  in 


%  t 


i; 


112 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


ii 


believers"  or  "inbred  sin,"  he  taught  that  this 
was  destroyed  by  the  second  work  of  grace, 
which  he  called  Entire  Sanctification. 

Comment. —  Mr.  Wesley  nowhere  insinuated 
that  this  **  second  change  "  would  destroy  nature 
or  any  natural  faculty.  He  did  teach  that  it 
would  destroy  every  sinful  tendency  in  man's 
nature.  We  will  quote  from  Dr.  Adam  Clarke 
here,  as  Mr.  Boland  has  previously  quoted  from 
his  Commentary  to  uphold  his  theory. 

Rom.  8 :  3.  Condemned  sin  in  the  flesh. 
*'  The  design  and  object  of  the  incarnation  and 
sacrifice  of  Christ  was  to  condemn  sin,  to  have 
it  executed  and  destroyed ;  not  to  tolerate  it  as 
some  think,  or  to  render  it  subservient  to  the 
purposes  of  His  grace,  as  others  ;  but  to  annihi- 
late its  power,  guilt  and  being  in  the  soul  of  a 
believer." 

Boland,  p.  8y. —  '*  How  a  man  can  be  *  full 
of  sin  and  guilt,  so  as  to  deserve  punishment,' 
and  be  in  a  *  justified  state'  at  the  same  time 
is  beyond  my  comprehension." 

Note. —  i.  Mr.  Boland  lost  his  comprehen- 
sion by  failing  to  comprehend  that  Adam  fell. 
2.  Mr.  Wesley  believed  that  we  were  made 
holy  in  Adam  without  any  moral  taint  of  sin  ; 
that  we  fell  in  Adam  and  became  morally  cor- 
rupted.    3.  Mr.  Boland  denies  that  we  fell  in 


5  In 


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it 

s 

ke 

Dm 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


113 


Adam,  he  says  that  when  the  fruit  was  eaten 
that  our  sensuous  natures  predominated  over 
our  moral  natures.  4.  Mr.  Wesley  saw  that  we 
needed  salvation  from  this  moral  corruption.  5. 
Mr.  Bolaud  saw  only  that  we  required  to  get 
control  of  ourselves.  6.  We  would  be  surprised 
if  Mr.  Boland  could  comprehend  Mr.  Wesley's 
desert  of  punishment.  7.  Mr.  Boland  must 
learn  first  that  he  fell  in  Adam  and  became 
morally  corrupted. 

Boland,  p.  88. —  "A  state  of  guilt  and  justi- 
fication can  be  reconciled  about  as  eisily  as  to 
conceive  how  the  '  carnal  mind '  can  exist  in  a 
regenerated  believer  and  remain  there  *ttll  it 
please  the  Lord  to  speak  again,'  to  speak  the 
second  time,  *  Be  clean  !  *  " 

Note. —  Mr.  Boland  should  turn  to  the  word 
of  God  and  the  reconciliation  would  be  effected 
for  him.  i  Cor.  i:  2  reads  :  "  Unto  the  church 
of  God  which  is  at  Corinth,  to  them  that  are 
sanctified  in  Christ  Jesus."  3  :  i  reads  :  — 
**  And  I,  brethren,  could  not  speak  unto  you  as 
unto  spiritual,  but  as  unto  carnal,  even  as  unto 
babes  in  Christ."  3  :  2  reads  : —  **  I  have  fed 
you  with  milk,  not  with  meat." 

Comment. —  It  is  clear  i.  that  they  were 
Christians  in  Corinth  **  sanctified  through  Christ 
Jesus."     2.  That  they  were  still  "carnal  "and 


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114  NOTES    ON    BOLANU. 

0 

were  blameworthy — they  deserved  ] ''punish- 
ment. 3.  That  they  were  fed,  not  as  perfect 
Christians,  but  as  babes.  4.  They  were  Chris- 
tians, called  babes,  their  food  was  not  withheld, 
they  received  milk. 

BoLAND,  p.  88. —  "Will  the  Christian  world 
never  learn  that  the  mind  God  gave  to  man  in 
creation  is  the  same  mind  that  he  carries  with 
him  forever,  and  that  the  *  carnal  mind'  is  noth- 
ing more  than  the  same  mind  under  the  control 
of  our  fleshly  nature,  *  the  course  of  carnal 
thinking.?'" 

Note. —  It  is  about  time  that  it  was  learned 
that  man  did  not  fall,  that  he  got  only  disar- 
ranged, if  it  is  to  be  learned.  It  is  a  great  pity 
that  God  did  not  know  it  and  the  gospel  dispen- 
sation would  not  have  been  stained  with  the 
blood  of  Gethsemane  and  Calvary !  If  man  did 
not  fall,  but  got  a  little  disarranged,  God  could 
have  strengthened  his  moral  nature,  so  that  it 
would  have  gained  the  mastery  over  his  sensuous 
nature.  If  there  was  really  nothing  to  be  de- 
stroyed there  was  no  necessity  for  the  shedding 
of  blood.  Mr.  Boland  does  not  admit  that  any 
law  was  broken.  The  sensuous  nature  of  the 
woman  craved  for  the  forbidden  fruit  and  that 
is  all.  When  she  took  the  fruit  the  sensuous 
nature  gained  the  ascendancy.  / 


d 

n 

h 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


116 


BoLAND,  P.  88. —  **  All  that  is  necessary  to 
*  destroy  the  carnal  mind  *  is  to  *  renew  us  in  the 
divine  image,'  and  take  this  same  mind  from 
under  the  control  of  this  fleshly  nature  and  put 
it  back  under  the  control  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
and  our  renewed  spiritual  nature." 

Note. —  Then  the  putting  off  the  old  man 
and  putting  on  the  new  man  consists  in  nothing 
more  than  giving  the  moral'  nature  supremacy 
over  the  sensuous  nature.  This  is  Mr.  Boland's 
positive  teaching,  and  he  wonders  if  the  Chris- 
tian world  will  never  learn  that  this  is  all. 

Comment. —  i.  All  such  Bible  terms  as 
"Our  old  man  is  crucified,"  "the  body  of  sin 
might  be  destroyed,"  "  Mortify  the  deeds  of  the 
body,"  "  Let  us  cleanse  ourselves,"  "  Put  off  all 
these,  anger,  etc.,"  mean  nothing  more  in  Mr. 
Boland's  teaching  than  the  moral  nature  getting 
the  mastery.  2.  He  has  not  only  denied  the 
necessity  of  entire  sanctification,  but  his  the- 
ology excludes  the  necessity  of  any  such 
change  as  regeneration. 

BoLAND,  p.  90. —  "This  point  cannot  be 
evaded  by  using  the  term  *  the  remains  of  the 
carnal  mind,'  for  there  is  nothing  to  remain." 

Note. — Then  Mi.  Boland  teaches  that  when  a 
man  is  born  of  the  Spirit,  that  he  has  Christian 
Perfection.     He    positively   affirms    "There   is 


I  m 


I 


116 


NOTES    ON    ROLAND. 


I'! 


I 


lii^^j 


nothing  to  remain."  Mr.  Wesley  always  taught 
that  infirmities  remained  in  the  entirely  sancti- 
fied. Mr.  Boland's  teaching  is  Adamic  perfec- 
tion by  regeneraiion,  if  he  teaches  anything. 
Surely  a  new  light  has  arisen  in  Methodism. 

BoLAND,  p.  90. —  **  Man  has  but  one  mind, 
and  that  mind  of  either  carnal  or  spiritual, 
according  as  he  *  walks  after  the  flesh  or  after 
the  Spirit'  " 

Note. —  The  clear  teaching  of  Scripture 
is  that  the  sons  and  daughters  of  God  are  led 
by  the  Spirit  of  God  continually.  Then  accord- 
ing to  Mr.  Boland's  own  statement,  those  who 
are  led  by  the  Spirit  are  altogether  spiritual. 
They  make  no  mistakes,  they  never  err  in  judg- 
ment. They  are  infallible.  This  is  the  only 
possible  conclusion  from  his  premises. 

BoLAND,  p.  91. —  "If  a  man  can  walk  in 
opposite  directions  at  the  same  time,  then  he 
can  be  *  carnally  minded '  and  *  spiritually 
minded,'  then  he  can  be  a  *  justified  believer ' 
and  be  *  full  of  sin  and  guilt,'  at  the  same  time  ; 
but  not  till  then." 

Note. —  i.  Would  Mr.  Boland  have  us  be- 
lieve that  Saul  of  Tarsus  was  following  the  flesh 
the  three  days  that  he  was  blind  ?  2.  Or  would 
he  have  us  believe  that  he  was  converted  on  the 
way  to  Damascus  ?    3.  If  he  was  converted  on 


J 

■ 


r 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


117 


the  way  to  Damascus,  did  he  get  holiness  when 
Ananias  put  his  hands  on  him  ?  4.  If  he  was 
not  converted  on  the  way  to  Damascus,  then  he 
was  full  of  sin  for  those  three  days,  and  fol- 
lowed the  Spirit.  5.  Does  not  every  sinner 
follow  the  Spirit  from  the  moment  he  quits 
going  to  hell  ?  6.  Is  the  sinner  who  fasts  and 
prays  and  seeks  God  according  to  the  light  he 
has,  by  self-denial,  etc.,  walking  after  the  flesh  ? 
7.  If  a  sinner  can  walk  after  the  Spirit  with  all 
his  actual  and  inbred  sin  in  him,  could  he  not 
follow  the  Spirit  with  inbred  sin  in  him  alone  ? 
Mr.  Boland  here  attempts  to  make  Mr.  Wesley's 
position  on  the  point  in  question  appear  ridicu- 
lous, but,  in  reality,  only  furnishes  the  reader 
with  an  example  of  spurious  logic. 

BoLAND,  p.  92. —  **  So  long  as  the  Spirit 
dwells  in  the  heart  of  a  believer,  and  he  *  makes 
no  provision  for  the  flesh  to  fulfill  the  desires 
thereof,'  so  long  there  will  be  no  'carnal  mind  ' 
in  him  to  be  destroyed  ;  and  hence  no  need  of 
this  *  second  change.'  " 

Note. — Mr.  Boland  makes  a  statement  and 
contradicts  it  in  the  same  sentence. 

I.  He  speaks  of  the  desires  of  the  flesh 
that  we  are  to  make  no  provision  for, —  to  keep 
under  control.  2.  Then  he  tells  us  that  there 
will   be   no  "carnal   mind."     3.  We    presume 


i^j, 


118 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


Hi 


that  he  means  that  it  does  not  matter  how 
much  carnality  is  in  a  man  if  he  only  believes 
that  he  is  purely  spiritual.  This  is  rank  Anti- 
nomianism.  We  prefer  to  follow  the  teaching 
of  those  whom  he  designates  "errorists"  and 
**  Modern  Methodist  Fathers "  to  these  un- 
scriptural  vagaries. 

BoLAND,  p.  92. — "If  there  be  'sin  in  justi- 
fied believers/  and  if  *  we  cannot  wholly  cleanse 
our  hearts,  till  it  please  the  Lord  to  speak  to 
our  hearts  again,  to  speak  the  second  time,  (Be 
clean)'  does  it  not  follow  that  this*  sin'  is 
allowed  to  *  remain  in  our  hearts  '  under  the 
divine  approval }" 

Note. —  No,  it  docs  not.  Salvation  is  not  all 
divine.  There  is  a  human  element.  God 
saves  none  beyond  their  repentance  and  faith. 

Comment.  —  i.  He  does  not  despise  the 
broken  and  contrite  heart  even  though  it  is  full 
of  sin.  2.  He  approves  of  his  repentance,  but 
is  not  pleased  with  the  fact  that  he  is  full  of 
sin.  3.  He  gives  him  the  grace  of  faith  to 
believe  for  salvation  from  sin.  4.  He  gives 
more  light  and  expects  us  to  walk  in  that  light. 
5.  All  who  walk  in  the  light  as  he  is  in  the 
light;  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  God's  dear 
Son,  clcanseth  them  from  all  sin.  6.  Will  Mr. 
Boland  tell  us  that  the  unsaved  man  must  walk 


inJ! 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


119 


(1 


:i- 
>e 


in  the  light  as  God  is  in  the  light  in  order  to  be 
regenerated  ?  7.  If  he  will  say  this  —  then  he 
is  shut  in  to  salvation  by  works.  If  he  take 
the  other  horn  of  the  dilemma  and  says  salva- 
tion is  by  faith,  his  whole  fabric  falls  to  the 
ground. 

BoLAND,  p.  93. — **  According  to  the  whole 
statement  of  the  case  by  Mr.  Wesley,  this 
*  residue  theory'  charges  God  with  the  folly  of 
forgiving  sin,  the  *  being  and  corruption '  of 
which  he  allows  to  *  remain  till  he  speaks  to  our 
hearts  again,  till  he  speaks  the  second  time  (Be 
clean).'  We  ask  in  the  name  of  Christianity,  is 
this  the  best  the  gospel  can  do  for  fallen, 
depraved,  corrupt  humanity  ?  " 

Note.  —  What  swelling  pomposity !  He 
thought  that  this  was  a  settler.  How  shallow 
and  vain  is  the  mind  of  man  until  it  is  entirely 
purged  by  the  fire  of  divine  love!  How  unbe- 
coming for  any  man  to  speak  in  such  a  manner  ! 
Men  who  have  contributed  anything  to  the 
world  of  thought  and  theology  never  get  so 
narrowed  down  in  their  thought  or  expression. 

Comment. —  i.  It  is  a  blessed  thing  to  get 
entirely  cleansed  even  if  it  be  found  necessary 
for  God  to  speal.  the  second  time.  2.  The 
blind  man  at  Bethsaida  did  not  complain  be- 
cause he  only  saw  men  as  trees  walking  ;  and 


mi 


mi 


Hi 

m-, 


i 


120 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


he  did  not  find  fault  with  Jesus  for  putting  his 
hands  the  second  time  upon  his  eyes.  3.  He 
left  all  the  complaining  for  Mr.  Boland  to  work 
up. 

BoLAND,  p.  93. — **  Let  St.  John  answer  :  *  If 
we  confess  our  sins,  he  is  faithful  and  just  to 
forgive  us  our  sins  and  to  cleanse  us  from  all 
unrighteousness.'  " 

Note. —  In  this  sentence  Mr.  Boland  assumes 
that  this  epistle  was  addressed  to  sinners. 
Every  chapter  in  the  epistle  teaches  positively 
that  it  was  addressed  to  Christians. 

Comment. —  On  the  4th  verse  of  the  first 
chapter,  Dr.  Adam  Clarke  says :  "  Ye  have 
already  tasted  that  the  Lord  is  good ;  but  I  am 
now  going  to  show  you  the  height  of  your 
Christian  calling,  that  your  happiness  may  be 
complete,  being  thoroughly  cleansed  from  all 
sin,  and  filled  with  the  fullness  of  God." 

Second  chapter,  first  verse.  My  little  children. 
My  beloved  children  :  the  address  of  an  affection- 
ate father  to  children  whom  He  tenderly  loves- 
The  term  also  refers  to  the  apostles'  authority  as 
their  spiritual  father,  and  their  obligation  to 
obey  as  His  spiritual  children. 

"how  readest  thou.'*" 
Boland,  p.  98. — "  If   there  be   any  force  in 


NOTES  ON  BOLAND. 


121 


habit,  if  passions  and  desires  become  strong  by 
exercise  and  undue  indulgence,  if  the  young 
Christian  be  subjected  to  temptation,  it  follows 
that  he  will  be  severely  exercised  by  the  upris- 
ing of  his  desires  at  the  presentation  of  a  once 
enjoyed  but  now  renounced  object." 

Note.—  May  we  not  ask  here,  in  Mr.  Boland's 
own  words,  **  in  the  name  of  Christianity,  is  this 
the  best  the  gospel  can  do  for  fallen,  depraved, 
corrupt  humanity  ? " 

Comment. —  i.  Is  this  what  Mr.  Boland 
calls  sanctification  ?  2.  Passions  and  desires 
uprising  so  that  the  Christian  is  severely  exer- 
cised. 3.  The  undue  indulgence  of  passions 
and  desires.  4.  Mr.  Boland's  theory  here  is  a 
much  lower  grade  than  the  "residue  theory." 
5.  Mr.  Wesley  would  call  this  the  state  of  a 
fallen  believer.  6.  He  always  taught  that 
believers  from  the  time  they  were  born  of  God, 
mortified  and  overcame  passions  and  desires, 
and  did  not  indulge  them.  7.  He  taught  that 
holy  people  would  have  no  evil  desires  or  pas- 
sions and  consequently  no  uprising. 

Boland,  p.  98. —  "But  to  say  that  so  long  as 
the  will  rejects  the  temptation  there  is  sin,  is  to 
say  that  temptation  is  sin  ;  and  if  the  will  yields 
to  say  that  such  a  one  is  still  in  a  justified  state 
is  to  say  that  voluntary  transgression  does  not 
forfeit  justification." 


M 


1*1 


t 


*  n 


122 


NOTES  ON  BOLAND. 


„  ! 


II' 


i 


Note. —  Not  according  to  Mr.  Boland's  the- 
ory. Passions  and  desires  may  "  become  strong 
by  exercise  and  undue  indulgence  "  and  yet  the 
man  is  perfectly  pure.  Mr.  Wesley  would  say 
that  such  a  man  had  forfeited  his  worship.  Mr. 
Boland  says  that  "  passions  and  desires  become 
strong  by  exercise  and  undue  indulgence,"  and 
still  the  man  is  sanctified. 

Comment. —  i.  Evil  desires  and  passions  are 
sinful  in  themselves.  2.  Any  indulgence  what- 
ever is  yielding  to  temptation,  and  is  actual  sin. 
3.  Undue  indulgence  is  deliberate  sin  —  it  is  to 
fall  low.  4.  All  who  are  regenerated  have, 
power  to  subdue  all  evil  desires  and  passions. 
5.  When  the  soul  is  being  entirely  sanctified, 
evil  desires  and  passions  are  totally  destroyed. 

BoLAND,  p.  100. — "*AndI,  brethren,  could 
not  speak  unto  you  as  spiritual  [men],  but  as 
unto  carnal  [men]  ;  .  .  .  for  whereas  there 
are  among  you  envying,  and  strife,  and  divi- 
sions, are  ye  not  carnal,  and  walk  as  [carnal] 
men }'  (i  Cor.  3:  i,  2,  3.)  Dr.  Clarke  says  : 
*Ye  act  just  as  the  people  of  the  world,  and 
have  no  more  of  the  spirit  of  religion  than  they 
.  .  .  These  people  were  wrong  in  thought, 
word  and  deed! '  " 

Note. —  i.  Mr.  Boland  has  very  artfully  and 
skillfully  arranged  these  quotations  to  suit  his 


J 


NOTES  ON  nOLAND. 


123 


purpose.  2.  He  must  have  known  that  Dr. 
Clarke  made  no  reference  here  to  the  general 
religious  experience  of  the  Church  at  Corinth. 
3.  He  could  not  but  have  known  that  the  Dr. 
referred  only  to  their  thoughts,  words  and  deeds 
in  the  matter  of  choice  of  preachers,  that  in  this 
matter  only  they  were  like  the  world. 

Comment. —  If  Mr.  Boland  did  not  read  Dr. 
Clarke's  Comments  on  the  first  chapter  of  this 
Epistle,  he  should  have  done  so.  First  chapter, 
second  verse,  "  Called  to  be  saints."  "Consti- 
tuted saints."  Verse  4.  For  the  grace  — 
which  is  given  you.  "  Not  only  their  calling  to 
be  saints,  and  to  be  sanctified  in  Christ  Jesus ; 
but  for  the  various  spiritual  gifts  which  they 
had  received,  as  specified  in  the  succeeding 
verses."  Vei^e  7.  So  that  ye  come  behind  in 
no  gift.  "  Every  gift  and  grace  of  God's  Spirit 
was  possessed  by  the  members  of  that  Church, 
some  having  their  gifts  after  this  manner, 
others  after  that." 

BoLAND,  p.  loi. — **The  fact  that  Paul  speaks 
unto  them,  or  had  spoken  unto  them,  *  as  babes 
in  Christ,'  and  *fed  them  with  milk,  and  not 
with  meat,  because  they  were  not  able  to  bear 
it,'  does  not  prove  th:tt  these  *  carnal  men  '  were 
then  in  a  justified  state;  for  the  context  shows 
that  the  state  of  babyhood  refers  to  knowledge 


r^ 


124 


NOTES  ON  BOLAND. 


instead  of  moral  condition.  (See  Dr.  Clarke  in 
loco)." 

Note. —  These  Corinthian  Christians  were 
not  in  grace  although  they  were  eminent  in  gifts. 
They  had  a  very  limited  knowledge  of  the 
higher  truths  of  Christianity.  They  were  not 
able  to  judge  between  the  gifts  of  different 
preachers.  In  this  they  were  very  weak  and  on 
this  point  Satan  was  likely  to  overcome  them. 

Comment.  —  Dr.  Clarke  says  :  2  verse,  I  have 
fed  you  with  milk.  "  I  have  instructed  you  in 
the  elements  of  Christianity —  in  its  simplest 
and  easiest  truths ;  because,  from  the  low  state 
of  your  minds  in  religious  knowledge."  On 
verse  6  he  says :  **  The  seed  has  taken  root,  has 
sprung  up,  and  borne  much  fruit ;  but  this  was 
by  the  special  blessing  of  God." 

It  is  clear  that  Dr.  Clarke  taught  the  opposite 
of  what  Mr.  Boland  would  have  us  believe  that 
he  did. 

BoLAND,  p.  102.  — ^  **  Once  more  ;  if  these 
'  carnal  men  '  were  still  in  a  justified  state,  they 
were  also  in  a  sanctified  state ;  for  Paul,  in  ad- 
dressing this  church,  says :  *  Unto  the  Church 
of  God  which  is  at  Corinth,  to  them  that  are 
sanctified  in  Christ  Jesus,'  etc. ;  'ye  are  washed, 
ye  are  sanctified,  ye  are  justified  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  God  ! ' 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


125 


(i  Cor.  1:2;  6:  II.)  So  those  *  carnal  men' 
had  either  forfeited  their  justified  state,  or  else 
a  degree  of  carnality  is  also  left  in  a  sanctified 
believer!  In  either  case  the  text  (i  Cor.  3:1, 
2,  3.)  proves  nothing  for  the  '  residue  theory  of 
regeneration'  and  the  *  second  change  theory 
of  sanctification.'  " 

Note.  —  Then  Mr.  Boland  did  not  overlook 
St.  Paul's  address  to  the  church  at  Corinth. 
We  had  almost  hoped  that  he  had  not  seen  this 
address.  We  were  indulging  the  hope  that  he 
had  said  some  things  without  the  light  the 
address  gives.  The  farther  we  investigate  Mr. 
Boland's  writings  the  weaker  our  faith  becomes 
in  his  sincerity.  He  supposes  that  he  has  a 
lever  in  this  address  to  turn  over  the  residue 
theory  of  regeneration. 

Comment.  —  i.  Can  it  be  possible  that  a 
Methodist  preacher  does  not  know  the  differ- 
ence between  sanctification  and  entire  sanctifi- 
cation } 

2.  Mr.  Boland  must  either  confess  that  he 
did  not  know  the  difference  between  sanctifica- 
tion and  entire  sanctification,  or  that  he  per- 
fidiously used  the  address  to  delude  his  readers. 

3.  A  Methodist  preacher  would  require  to 
have  boundless  charity  to  hope  that  Mr.  Boland 
did  not  know,  that  our  distinct  theology  is,  that 


hM 


i 


M 


W'llS 


11 


I.  i 


i 


126 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


all  who  are  born  of  God  are  sanctified  but  not 
sanctified  wholly,  when  he  made  this  stupid 
statement. 

4.  There  is  nothing  clearer  than  the  teaching 
in  I  Cor.  i,  3,  that  sanctified  men  need  entire 
sanctification. 

BoLAND,  p.  104.  —  **  The  flesh  desireth  against 
the  Spirit,  and  the  Spirit  desireth  against  the 
flesh." 

Note.  —  Mr.  Boland  wants  to  make  it  appear 
by  giving  Mr.  Wesley's  translation  of  "  lust  " 
that  he  thereby  agreed  with  him  in  all  he  has 
to  say  about  this  verse.  Mr.  Wesley's  notes  on 
Gal.  5:16,  17,  18,  are:  "Walk  by  the  Spirit, 
follow  his  guidance  in  all  things,  and  fulfil  not 
in  anything  the  desire  of  the  flesh  — of  corrupt 
nature.  17th  verse.  —  For  the  flesh  desireth 
against  the  Spirit,  Nature  desireth  what  is  quite 
contrary  to  the  Spirit,  but  the  Spirit  desireth 
against  the  flesh,  (but  the  Holy  Spirit  opposes 
your  evil  nature).  These  are  contrary  to  each 
other  —  the  flesh  and  the  Spirit ;  there  can  be 
no  agreem  ^nt  between  them.  That  ye  may  not 
do  the  thmgs  which  ye  would  —  that  being 
thus  strengthened  by  the  Spirit,  ye  may  not 
fulfil  the  desire  of  the  flesh,  as  otherwise  ye 
would  do.  1 8th  verse.  —  But  if  ye  are  led  by 
the  spirit  of  liberty  and  love  into  holiness  ye  are 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


127 


not  under  the  law  —  not  under  the  curse  or 
bondage  of  it,  not  under  the  guilt  or  power 
of  sin." 

Comment.  —  There  is  one  plain  fact  here 
which  destroys  all  that  Mr.  Boland  has  said,  or 
may  say  on  this  passage  of  Scripture  to  over- 
throw the  "residue  theory  of  regeneration." 

1.  The  warfare  in  the  Galatian  Christian  was 
not  between  his  own  spirit  and  his  flesh. 

2.  The  warfare  was  between  the  Holy  Spirit 
and  the  flesh  of  the  Galatian  Christian.  This  is 
clearly  taught  in  the  i6th,  17th,  i8th,  and  22nd 
verses. 

3.  The  Holy  Spirit  was  therefore  in  the  Gala- 
tian Christians  and  consequently  they  could  not 
have  been  backsliders.  No  one  will  deny  that 
they  were  much  weakened  in  faith  on  account 
of  false  teachers  ;  but  they  were  not  necessarily 
backsliders  any  more  than  Peter  and  Barnabas 
were  when  Paul  *' withstood  them  to  the  face, 
because  they  were  to  be  blamed." 

Boland,  p.  106.  —  "  We  notice  next  i  Thes. 
5  :  23 :  *  And  the  very  God  of  peace  sanctify  you 
wholly ;  and  I  pray  God  your  whole  spirit,  soul 
and  body  be  preserved  blameless  unto  the  com- 
ing of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  Now,  the  sum 
total  of  which  Paul  speaks  is  the  whole  man, 
and  not  a  partial  cleansing  of  the  moral  nature 


nil 


■t:i 


i      %ii 


128 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


at  one  time  and  a  complete  cleansing  of  the 
moral  nature  at  a  subsequent  time." 

Note.  —  Mr.  Boland  was  at  a  great  loss  for 
something  to  say  here.  He  says  **  Paul  speaks 
of  the  whole  man "  and  he  thereby  declares 
unwittingly  that  a  part  of  the  man  had  been 
sanctified,  and  that  now  the  whole  was  to  be 
sanctified  wholly.  The  church  of  God  at  Thes- 
salonica  had  been  so  faithful  to  the  grace  of 
conversion,  that  when  Paul  prays  for  their  en- 
tire sanctification  Mr.  Boland  is  nonplused. 
He  was  ashamed  to  pass  it  by  without  saying 
something,  and  he  dropped  it  without  trying  to 
make  a  point,  as  though  it  was  burning  him. 

Comment.  —  Mr.  Wesley's  translation  of  this 
verse  is  "  And  the  God  of  peace  himself  sanc- 
tify you  wholly."  This  is  Dr.  Young's  literal 
translation  also.  Dr.  Young  translates  the  24th 
verse  **  steadfast  is  he  who  is  calling  you,  who 
also  will  do  it.  i.  The  word  "wholly"  comes 
from  oXog  all,  and  tc^o?  an  end  attained.  2.  It 
is  the  completion  of  the  destruction  of  the  evil 
tendencies  of  the  soul.  3.  According  to  Mr. 
Boland's  own  teaching  it  must  have  been  an 
inward  work,  for  he  has  positively  declared  that 
outwardly  a  man  saves  himself,  and  this  work  is 
to  be  wrought  by  the  God  of  peace  himself. 

Boland,  p.  107.  —  "  Then  they  prayed  that 


NOTES    ON    nOLAND. 


129 


li 


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:o 


they  might  be  *  sanctified  wholly  '  (not  holy), 
and  that  their  *  spirit  and  soul  and  body  might 
be  preserved  blameless,'  it  is  clear  that  he  had 
his  eye  on  such  a  *  consecration  '  of  the  whole 
man  as  would  lead  to  a  *  blameless  life.*  " 

Note.  —  Mr.  Boland  tries  to  insinuate  here 
that  the  Christians  at  Thessalonica  had  not 
been  living  holy  lives.  The  Scripture  facts 
are  against  him.  Paul  says  i  :  3  —  **  Remem- 
bering without  ceasing  your  work  of  faith,  and 
labor  of  love."  7th  verse.  —  "  So  that  ye  were 
examples  to  all  that  believe  in  Macedonia  and 
Achaia."  8th  verse.  —  **  Your  faith  to  God-ward 
is  spread  abroad,  so  that  we  need  not  to  speak 
anything."  Mr.  Boland  has  the  audacity  in  the 
face  of  these  inspired  statements  to  insinuate 
that  these  Christians  were  not  living  **  blameless 
lives." 

Dr.  Adam  Clarke  says  :  23d  verse.  —  [And  the 
very  God  of  peace.]  "  That  same  God  who  is 
the  author  of  peace,  the  giver  of  peace  ;  and 
who  has  sent,  for  the  redemption  of  the  world, 
the  Prince  of  peace ;  may  that  very  God  sanc- 
tify you  wholly  ;  leave  no  more  evil  in  your 
hearts  than  his  precepts  tolerate  evil  in  your 
conduct." 

Boland,  p.  no.  —  "In  his  sermon  on  *Sin  in 
Believers '    Mr.    Wesley   labors   hard   to   show 


*i  •  I 


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130 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


: 


i 


I 


that  all  these  back-slidden  members  in  these 
churches  were  still  in  a  justified  state  and  fair 
representatives  of  all  believers  who  had  not  re- 
ceived a  'second  change.'  But  Christ  said  to 
them  at  Ephesus :  *  Thou  hast  left  thy  first 
love.  Remember,  therefore,  from  whence  thou 
art  fallen,  and  repent,  and  do  thy  first  works.'" 
Note.  —  Mr.  Boland  should  have  given  us  a 
definition  of  a  Christian  church  before  he  took  up 
this  subject,  i.  Does  he  mean  by  a  church  the 
building  in  which  people  congregate  to  worship  ? 
or  does  he  mean  a  number  of  people  who  wor- 
ship God  together  in  the  spirit  ?  2.  If  the 
members  of  this  church  were  backsliders,  as 
Mr.  Boland  positively  affirms,  then  they  could 
not,  in  any  sense  of  the  word,  be  a  Christian 
church,  and  the  letter  must  have  been  ad- 
dressed to  the  building  where  they  had  for- 
merly worshipped.  3.  Mr.  Boland  accuses  God 
Almighty  of  having  deceived  the  people  at 
Ephesus.  He  addressed  them  as  a  Christian 
church,  when  he  knew  that  they  were  all  back- 
sliders. 4.  The  members  of  the  church  at 
Ephesus  had  all  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit  except 
one  :  they  had  not  retained  their  first  love.  5. 
They  were  commended  for  (i)  Labor,  (2) 
Patience,  (3)  Thou  canst  not  bear  evil  men,  (4) 
Had  not  fainted,  (5)  Purging  the  church. 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


131 


li! 


BoLAND,  V.  III.  —  "To  them  at  Pcrgamos 
Christ  said :  *  Thou  hast  them  that  hold  the 
doctrine  of  Balaam,  who  taught  Balak  to  cast  a 
stumbling-block  before  the  children  of  Israel, 
to  eat  things  sacrificed  unto  idols,  and  to  com- 
mit fornication.  So  hast  thou  also  them  that 
hold  the  doctrine  of  the  Nicolaitans,  which 
thing  I  hate.  Repent ;  or  else  I  will  come 
unto  thee  quickly,  and  will  fight  against  them 
with  the  sword  of  my  mouth.*  "  (Rev.  2  :  14,  15, 

16.) 

Note. — All  that  is  necessary  here  is  to  give  the 
address  as  it  is  in  order  to  show  Mr.  Boland's 
mutilation.  1 2th  verse :  "  And  to  the  angel  of  the 
church  in  Pcrgamos  write  ;  These  things  saith 
he  which  hath  the  sharp  sword  with  two  edges;" 
13th  verse  :  **I  know  thy  works,  and  where  thou 
dwellest,  even  where  Satan's  seat  is  :  and,  thou 
boldest  fast  my  name,  and  hast  not  denied  my 
faith,  even  in  those  days  wherein  Antipas  was 
my  faithful  martyr,  who  was  slain  among  you, 
where  Satan  dwelleth  ;"  14th  verse :  "  But  I  have 
a  few  things  against  thee,  because  thou  hast 
there  them  that  hold  the  doctrine  of  Balaam, 
who  taught  Balak  to  cast  a  stumbling-block  be- 
fore the  children  of  Israel,  to  eat  things  sacri- 
ficed unto  idols,  and  to  commit  fornication  ;  " 
15th,  i6th  verses:  *' So  hast  thou  also  them  that 


iiii 


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»"    :>\ 


1    i 


132 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


hold  the  doctrine  of  the  Nicolaitans,  which  thing 
I  hate.  Repent ;  or  else  I  will  come  unto  thee 
qv  ckly,  and  will  fight  against  them  with  the 
sword  of  my  mouth." 

Comment.  —  i.  Mr.  Boland  did  not  quote 
the  thirteenth  verse,  because  it  said  that  they 
held  fast  his  name  and  had  not  denied  his 
faith.  2.  The  first  part  of  the  fourteenth  verse 
did  not  suit  either,  and  he  left  it  out.  3. 
He  left  out  the  words,  ** there,"  "thou  hast 
these." 

Boland,  p.  112.  —  **  To  them  at  Sardis  Christ 
said  :  *  I  know  thy  works,  that  thou  hast  a  name, 
that  thou  livest,  and  art  dead.'  (Rev.  3  :  7.) 
Comment  is  unnecessary.  But  in  commenting 
on  these  three  churches  Mr.  Wesley  failed  to 
tell  us  that  the  remedy  which  Christ  prescribed 
for  these  evils  was  to  *  repent  and  do  thy  first 
works.'  '* 

Note.  —  How  dare  Mr.  Boland  say  such  a 
thing  .!*  He  must  either  have  been  ignorant  of 
what  Mr.  Wesley  did  say,  or  he  supposed  no 
person  would  question  his  statement. 

Comment.  —  Mr.  Wesley  says  on  :  **  Never- 
theless, I  have  somewhat  against  thee,  because 
thou  hast  left  thy  first  love."  This  was  real 
sin  which  God  saw  in  his  heart ;  of  which,  ac- 
cordingly, he  is  exhorted  to  repent.    He  likewise 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


133 


says  :  "The  angel  of  the  Church  at  Pergamos 
also,  is  exhorted  to  repent,  which  implies  sin." 
(Sermon  XIII.,  p.  148.) 

BoLAND,  p.  112.  —  "Mr.  Wesley  also  failed 
to  tell  us  that  Christ  said  of  the  church  at  Sar- 
dis:*Thou  hast  a  few  names  even  in  Sardis 
which  have  not  defiled  their  garments ;  and  they 
shall  walk  with  me  in  white ;  for  they  are  wor- 
thy.' " 

Note.  —  No  reasonable  person  would  expect 
Mr.  Wesley  to  repeat  the  whole  chapter.  What 
Mr.  Boland  blames  him  for  not  reciting  does 
not  prove  anything  one  way  or  the  other. 

Comment.  —  Mr.  Wesley  says :  "  And  to  the 
angel  of  the  church  in  Sardis  he  says :  *  Strength- 
en the  things  which  remain,  that  are  ready  to 
die.'  The  good  which  remained  was  ready  to  die 
but  was  not  actually  dead.  (Chap.  iii.  2.)  So 
there  was  still  a  spark  of  faith  even  in  him 
which  he  is  accordingly  commanded  to  hold 
fast."  Verse  3 :  Mr.  Boland  had  nothing  to 
say  here,  and  he  tried  to  satisfy  his  craving 
for  something  by  blaming  Mr.  Wesley  for  not 
referring  to  another  verse,  which  had  nothing 
particular  to  do  with  the  point  in  question. 

Boland,  p.  114.  —  "Our  position,  then,  is 
this  :  Regeneration  is  a  complete  work,  and 
includes  sanctification.    Regeneration  expresses 


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134 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


the  nature  of  the  change,  and  sanctification  the 
result  —  moral  purity." 

Note. — Look  at  these  two  sentences.  We 
suppose  this  is  what  Mr.  Boland  calls  the 
**  nicer  distinctions'*  of  mental  science  that 
Mr.  Wesley  did  not  live  to  see.  In  the  Jirst 
sentence  ** regeneration  is  a  complete  work: "  so 
complete  that  it  "  includes  sanctification."  In 
the  second  sentence  regeneration  does  nothing 
more  than  express  the  nature  of  the  change. 
Then  regeneration  is  not  the  change,  for  it 
only  expresses  the  nature  of  the  change;  and 
sanctification  is  not  the  change  either,  for  it 
expresses  only  the  result  of  the  change.  If 
Mr.  Boland  would  refer  again  to  Dr.  Hickock's 
"  Science  of  the  Mind,"  he  might  tell  us  that 
regeneration  is  a  "radical  disposition." 

Boland,  p.  114.  —  "Then  we  draw  a  distinc- 
tion between  regeneration  and  Christian  per- 
fection. Regeneration  is  an  instantaneous  work 
resulting  in  moral  purity,  while  perfection  is  a 
growth  resulting  in  maturity." 

Note.  —  He  tells  us  that  he  makes  a  distinc- 
tion between  regeneration  and  Christian  per- 
fection, insinuating  thereby  that  Mr.  Wesley 
did  not.  He  told  us  above  that  "  sanctification 
expresses  the  result "  of  the  change ;  now  he 
tells  us  that  "  regeneration  is  an  instantaneous 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


135 


work  resulting  in  moral  purity."  Which  are 
we  to  accept  ? 

Comment.  —  i.  The  young  man  of  the  gos- 
pel who  had  observed  all  the  commandments 
from  his  youth  up  was  morally  pure,  but  Jesus 
did  not  say  that  he  was  regenerated.  He  put 
a  test  to  him,  to  let  him  know  that  he  was  not 
regenerated.  2.  Mr.  Boland  tells  us  that  per- 
fection is  a  growth  resulting  in  maturity. 
What  is  it  that  grows  ?  We  have  not  seen 
anything  in  his  theory  that  could  grow.  Does 
he  mean  that  moral  purity  will  grow  ?  This  is 
all  —  the  whole  of  regeneration  —  according  to 
his  own  definition, 

BoLAND,  p.  115.  —  "As  used  by  Paul,  the 
term  *  regeneration  '  refers  to  the  work  of  grace 
in  the  heart,  which  the  Scriptures  call  sanctifi- 
cation.  In  proof  of  this  we  give  the  text,  and 
then  give  Mr.  Wesley's  notes :  *  But  after  that 
the  kindness  and  love  of  God  our  Saviour 
toward  man  appeared,  not  by  works  of  righteous- 
ness which  we  have  done,  but  according  to  his 
own  mercy  he  saved  us  by  the  washing  of 
regeneration  and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
which  he  poured  forth  richly  upon  us  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour,  that  being  justified 
by  his  grace  we  might  become  heirs  according 
to  the   hope  of  eternal  life.'     (Titus  3  :  4-7.) 


w 


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136 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


Mr.  Wesley  says  :  *  In  this  important  passage 
the  apostle  presents  us  with  a  delightful  view 
of  our  redemption.  Herein  we  have,  first,  the 
cause  of  it ;  .  .  .  second,  the  effects,  which  are 
(i)  Justification  —  being  justified,  pardoned, 
and  accepted  through  the  alone  merits  of 
Christ ;  .  .  .  (2)  Sanctification,  expressed  by 
the  laver  of  regeneration  and  the  renewal  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  which  purifies  the  soul  and 
renews  it  in  the  whole  image  of  God.'  " 

Note.  —  It  seems  to  us  to  be  stupid  audacity 
for  a  Methodist  minister  to  attack  the  doctrine 
of  his  church,  which  he  promised  to  preach ; 
but  when  a  man  in  his  position  and  office 
goes  so  far  as  to  mutilate  Mr.  Wesley's  Notes, 
Dr.  Adam  Clarke's  Commentary,  and  even  the 
word  of  God,  language  is  powerless  to  describe 
the  character  or  nature  of  the  deed. 

Comment.  — The  following  is  Mr.  Wesley's 
unmutilated  notes  upon  this  passage  of  Scrip- 
ture :  I.  The  cause  of  it  —  notour  works  of 
righteousness,  but  the  kindness  and  love  of 
God  our  Saviour.  2.  The  effects,  which  are 
(i)  Justification  —  being  justified,  pardoned, 
and  accepted  through  the  merits  of  Christ  only, 
not  from  any  desert  in  us,  but  according  to 
his  own  mercy,  by  his  grace,  his  free,  unmer- 
ited goodness  ;  (2)  Sanctification  expressed  by 


Hi 


m 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


137 


IW 

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the  laver  of  regeneration  (that  is,  baptism,  the 
thing  signified  as  the  outward  sign),  and  the 
renewal  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  purifies 
the  soul  as  water  cleanses  the  body,  and  renews 
it  in  the  image  of  God.  (3)  The  consumma- 
tion of  all,  that  we  might  become  heirs  of 
eternal  life,  and  live  now  in  the  joyful  hope 
of  it." 

I.  We  will  notice  what  Mr.  Boland  added  to 
Mr.  Wesley's  notes:  i.  "In  this  important 
passage  the  apostle  presents  us  with."  2.  "  Here- 
in we  have."     3.  "  The  alone  merits  of  Christ.'* 

4.  A" "  after  the  word  "sanctification." 

5.  "  Whole  "  before  the  "  image  of  God." 

II.  Notice  what  he  expunged,  i.  "  Here  the 
apostle  gives."  2.  "  Not  our  works  of  right- 
eousness, but  the  kindness  and  love  of  God  our 
Saviour."  3.  **  Through  the  merits  of  Christ 
only  —  not  from  any  desert  in  us,  but  according 
to  his  own  mercy,  by  his  grace,  his  free,  unmer- 
ited goodness."  4.  ["That  is,  baptism,  the  thing 
signified  as  the  outward  sign."]  5.  "  As  water 
cleanses  the  body."     6.  All    under  number  (3). 

I.  What  Mr.  Boland  added  he  gave  as  Mr. 
Wesley's  words.  2.  Mr.  Wesley  was  very  care- 
ful to  mark  his  divisions  of  redemption  under 
(i),  (2),  (3),  lest  any  should  mistake  his  mean- 
ing and  conclude  that  it  was  only  one  work  of 


III 


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138 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


grace.  3.  He  was  careful  to  explain  what  he 
meant  by  the  use  of  the  word  "  sanctification  ;  " 
and  Mr.  Boland  was  careful  to  expunge  his  expla- 
nation, and  thereby  show  himself  willing  to  de- 
ceive the  unwary. 

Boland,  p.  i  16.  —  "  In  the  Bible  sanctifica- 
tion means  *  to  consecrate,  to  cleanse,  to  purify.' 
Sanctification,  then,  is  twofold  :  we  must  con- 
secrate ourselves  to  God  in  order  for  him  to 
cleanse  or  purify  us  from  sin." 

Note.  —  Where  is  there  a  command  in  the 
Bible  for  sinners  to  consecrate  themselves  to 
God  in  order  to  be  regenerated  ?  They  are 
exhorted  "  to  cease  to  do  evil,"  to  "  repent,"  to 
"  come,"  and  to  "  believe,"  etc.  Christians  are 
exhorted  to  "dedication,"  ''consecration,"  "obe- 
dience," etc. 

Comment.  —  We  do  not  dispute  with  Mr. 
Boland  about  the  necessity  of  consecration  in 
order  to  obtain  purity  of  heart.  We  must  in- 
quire : 

I.  Can  a  sinner  who  is  in  darkness  conse- 
crate himself  fully  to  God  ?  Consecration  is 
the  devotion  of  our  natural  faculties  to  the  ser- 
vice of  God  in  his  kingdom  of  grace.  What 
does  the  unsaved  sinner  know  about  the  king- 
dom and  the  work  to  be  done  in  the  kingdom 
before  he  is  adopted  ? 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


139 


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2.  It  may  be  said  that  a  sinner  must  conse- 
crate himself  to  God  in  order  to  be  saved.  We 
will  allow  all  that  is  claimed,  and  then  examine 
the  consecration.  First,  he  consecrates  himself 
to  God,  according  to  the  light  he  has  ;  but  his 
light  is  not  full  clear  light,  he  himself  being  only 
partially  in  the  light.  Second,  he  consecrates 
himself  according  to  his  knowledge  ;  but  what 
does  an  unsaved  man  know  about  consecration.? 
his  knowledge  is  almost  perfect  ignorance. 
Third,  he  consecrates  himself  according  to  the 
power  he  has  ;  but  what  power  has  an  unsaved 
man  ?  he  is  almost  perfect  weakness. 

3.  We  have  seen  that  when  a  sinner  does  his 
best  that  his  consecration  is  incomplete,  and  as 
his  purification  depends  upon  his  consecration, 
it  must  of  necessity  be  incomplete  also.  So, 
then,  according  to  Mr.  Boland's  definition,  it 
would  be  an  utter  impossibility  for  the  work  to 
be  entire  when  the  soul  is  regenerated. 

BoLAND,  p.  1 1 7.  —  "  '  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ 
his  Son  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin.'  This  all- 
cleansing  blood  is  applied  at  *  forgiveness.'  " 

Note.  — We  will  read  the  whole  of  this  verse 
of  which  Mr.  Boland  quotes  a  part  to  prove  that 
when  Jesus  forgives  us  our  sins  that  he  does 
then  cleanse  us  from  all  sin.  (i  John  i  :  7.)  "  But 
if  we  walk  in  the  light,  as  he  is  in  the  light,  we 


It  •; 


ii 


M 


III  i 


\ 

'tm  • 

t     ;  ' 

i 

1' 

w 

i 

Liiii 

140 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


have  fellowship  one  with  another,  and  the  blood 
of  Jesus  Christ  his   Son  cleanseth  us  from  all 


sin. 


M 


Comment.  —  Mr.  Boland  will  have  to  choose 
here  one  of  two  things :  either  the  sinner 
must  walk  in  the  light  as  God  is  in  the  light  in 
order  to  be  regenerated,  or  that  cleansing  is  a 
subsequent  work  of  grace,  consequent  upon  the 
soul  already  regenerated  walking  in  all  the  light 
of  the  kingdom. 

Boland,  p.  117. —  "  Ye  are  washed,  ye  are 
sanctified  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by 
the  Spirit  of  God." 

Note. —  Mr.  Boland  uses  this  passage  of  Scrip- 
ture from  I  Cor.  6:11  to  prove  that  the  soul 
that  has  been  regenerated  is  cleansed  from  all 
sin.  On  page  102,  in  the  "  Problem,"  Mr.  Bo- 
land says  :  **  Does  not  that  settle  the  question 
that  these  *  carnal  men,'  or,  if  you  prefer,  these 
*  natural  men  '  were  in  a  state  of  spiritual  death 
and  condemnation  .? " 

Comment.  —  According  to  the  remarks  of 
Mr.  Boland  on  page  102  of  his  book,  this  pas- 
sage of  Scripture  would  not  save  the  church  in 
Corinth  from  "  spiritual  death  and  condemna- 
tion." 

According  to  what  he  says  on  page  117,  it 
saves  all  who  have  been  regenerated  from  all  sin, 


11  r 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


141 


od 

lall 

se 

er 

in 

a 

he 

Iht 


so  that  there  is  absolutely  no  necessity  for  a 
"second  change."  This  is  the  essence  of  double 
dealing.  How  many  more  different  purposes 
can  he  make  this  Scripture  serve  ?  It  is  a  great 
pity  that  any  minister  of  the  gospel  should  be 
so  blinded  by  prejudice  as  to  thus  pervert  these 
sacred  Scriptures.  We  have  felt  like  saying 
**  tell  it  not  in  Gath."  We  would  be  untrue  to 
God  if  we  did  nor  expose  this  deliberate  jug- 
gling. 

BoLAND,  p.  1 19.  —  **  In  referring  to  the  Gen- 
tiles who  were  converted  at  the  house  of  Cor- 
nelius, Peter  says  :  *  God  put  no  difference 
between  us  and  them,  purifying  their  hearts  by 
faith.*  Now,  if  Peter  had  known  that  'the 
former  corruptions  of  the  heart  remain  in  them 
that  are  regenerated,'  surely  he  would  not  have 
said  *  purifying  their  hearts,'  and  afiirmed  the 
same  of  the  *  three  thousand  on  the  day  of  Pen- 
tecost ! '  " 

Note.  —  Mr.  Boland  has  said  that  Mr.  Wes- 
ley gave  up  the  **  residue  theory  "  in  the  year 
1784,  when  he  expunged  certain  clauses  from 
the  Ninth  Article  of  the  church.  He  has  also 
said  that  the  **  residue  theory "  is  not  to  be 
found  in  Mr.  Wesley's  Notes  on  the  New  Tes- 
tament. It  would  be  true  that  if  he  gave  up 
the  theory  in  1784,  that  it  would  not  be  found 


I 

! 


!!i 


142 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


J;. 


'  i 


K'i 


I 


in  his  Notes,  for  he  revised  them  in  the  year 
1788. 

Comment.  —  i.  Mr.  Wesley  translates  Acts 
10.  15  :  "And  the  voice  came  to  him  again,  the 
second  time,  what  God  hath  purified,  call  not 
thou  common."  Mr.  Wesley's  note  on  this  is 
*  What  God  hath  purified  —  hath  made  and 
declared  clean.  Nothing  but  what  is  clean 
can  come  down  from  heaven.  St.  Peter  well 
remembered  this  saying  in  the  council  at  Jeru- 
salem." (Chap.  XV.  9.) 

2.  Mr.  Wesley's  note  on  Acts  15:9  is : 
"  Purifying  [this  word  is  repeated  from  Chap.  x. 
15]  their  hearts  —  the  heart  is  the  proper  seat 
of  purity;  by  faith  —  without  concerning  them- 
selves with  the  Mosaic  law." 

3.  It  is  clear  that  Mr.  Wesley  believed  that 
the  house  of  Cornelius  was  purified  before  Peter 
went  to  it.  God  said  to  Peter  that  what  he 
had  purified  that  call  not  thou  common.  Mr. 
Wesley  in  his  note  on  Acts  15:  9  says  that 
Peter  repeated  what  God  said  to  him  in  Acts 
10:  15. 

4.  Mr.  Boland  must  either  accept  what  he 
calls  the  **  residue  theory  "  here,  or  retract  all 
that  he  has  said  about  Mr.  Wesley  giving  it  up. 

Boland,  p.  119.  —  "When  the  *  Lord  Jesus 
sent  Paul  to  preach  to  the  Gentiles,'  he  sent 


f1: 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


143 


ts 
he 
ot 
is 
nd 
an 
reW 
ru- 


him  to  open  their  eyes  and  to  turn  them  from 
darkness  to  light  and  from  the  power  of  Satan 
unto  God,  that  they  might  receive  forgiveness 
of  sins  and  inheritance  among  them  that  are 
sanctified  by  faith.  (Acts  25  :  18.)  Here 
again  'forgiveness  of  sin'  and  *  sanctification  ' 
are  put  in  direct  or  immediate  connection." 

Note.  — There  is  no  such  statement  in  Acts 
25:  18.  We  presume  he  means  Acts  26:  18. 
This  passage  of  Scripture  totally  destroys  Mr. 
Boland's  pretensions. 

Comment. —  i.  By  forgiveness  they  became 
heirs  to  sanctification.  2.  If  Mr.  Boland  had 
read  the  charge  of  Paul  to  the  elders  of  the 
church  at  Ephesus,  he  would  have  known  that 
this  passage  of  Scripture  is  emphatically  op- 
posed to  all  his  teaching.  3.  In  his  charge  Paul 
says  :  "  And  now,  brethren,  I  commend  you  to 
God  and  to  the  word  of  his  grace,  which  is  able 
to  build  you  up,  and  to  give  you  an  inheritance 
among  all  them  which  are  sanctified."  (Acts  20 : 
32.)  Since  the  inheritance  here  spoken  of 
refers  both  to  this  world  and  that  which  is  to 
come,  it  is  evident  that  Paul  referred  to  a  work 
of  grace  to  be  subsequently  wrought  in  them. 
4.  Mr  Boland  must  say  here  that  these  elders 
"  which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made  you  over- 
seers," verse  28,  were  not  converted  men,  or 


1^ 


: 


>rt  ril 


144 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


■- 


m. 


' 


else  **  an  inheritance  among  all  them  that  are 
sanctified  "  is  not  experienced  when  sins  are 
forgiven.  5.  The  command  of  Paul  to  these 
elders,  in  verse  28,  is  "  to  feed  the  church  of 
God  which  he  hath  purchased  with  his  own 
blood."  6.  Mr.  Boland  must  either  say  that 
these  elders  were  not  regenerated,  or  give  up 
his  theory,  since  his  teaching  is  that  the  regen- 
erated are  sanctified. 

Boland,  p.  120.  — "When  Jesus  speaks  our 
sins  forgiven  he  says :  *  Now  are  ye  clean 
through  the  word  which  I  have  spoken  unto 
you.'  "     (John  15:3.) 

Note.  —  Jesus  said  this  to  his  disciples,  and 
then  in  John  17  :  17,  he  prayed  "  Sanctify  them 
through  thy  truth  :  thy  word  is  truth."  Mr. 
Boland  would  have  us  believe  that  they  were 
sanctified  wholly  when  Jesus  said,  "  Now  are 
ye  clean."  He  must  believe  that  Jesus  did  not 
know  what  he  was  doing  when  he  was  pouring 
out  his  soul  to  the  Father  to  "  sanctify  them." 
What  a  pity  that  a  minister  would  so  reject  the 
plain  teaching  of  Scripture! 

Boland,  p.  120. —  "  The  *  washing  of  regener- 
ation '  is  not  a  '  partial  renovation,'  leaving  the 
*  former  corruptions  to  remain  in  the  heart,'  for 
*he  that  is  washed  is  clean  every  whit.'"  (John 
13:  10.) 


NOTES   ON    nOI.AND. 


uri 


I  are 
are 
icse 

of 
)wn 
Ihat 

up 
ren- 


>» 


! 


Note. — How  is  it  that  Jesus  pronounced 
eleven  out  ot  the  twelve  clean,  and  then  prayed 
for  their  sanctification,  in  the  seventeenth  chap- 
ter? 

Comment.  —  i.  Mr.  Boland  does  not  seem 
to  know  any  difference  between  sanctification 
and  entire  sanctification.  Mr.  Wesley  always 
taught  that  when  the  soul  was  re<;enerated 
that  sanctification  begai-  but  was  not  com- 
pleted. 

2.  Mr.  Boland  positively  u^nies  the  necessity 
of  a  "  second  change ; "  but  when  he  quotes 
John  13:  10;  15:  3;  to  prove  that  the  work  of 
cleansing  is  completed  when  the  soul  is  regen- 
erated, he  puts  himself  in  a  very  unenviable 
position.  He  utterly  rejects  the  Saviour's 
prayer  for  -his  disciples  :  the  twentieth  chap- 
ter of  John,  the  twenty-fourth  chapter  of  Luke, 
the  second  chapter  of  Acts,  and  all  the  com- 
mands, prayers,  and  promises  of  the  Epistles. 

Boland,  p.  120.  —  **  Paul  says  :  *  Unto  the 
Church  of  God,  which  is  at  Corinth,  to  them 
that  are  sanctified  in  Christ  Jesus  ; '  *  ye  are 
washed,  ye  are  sanctified,  ye  are  justified  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.'  (i  Cor.  i  :  2  ;  6:  11.) 
In  both  of  these  passages  Paul  uses  the  term 
*  sanctified  '  to  describe  the  state  of  grace  re- 
ceived at  Justification." 


J 

H  t  r 


I'i 


146 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND, 


Note.  • —  The  double  dealing  of  Mr.  Boland 
is  really  painful.  When  he  told  us,  on  page 
102,  that  the  Church  of  Christ  at  Corinth  was 
spiritually  dead  and  condemned,  we  did  not  ex- 
pect that  he  would  use  these  passages  of  Scrip- 
ture to  prove  that  regeneration  was  the  only 
possible  change  to  be  wrought.  This  is  a  mat- 
ter of  great  grief,  and  deserves  sharp  censure 
coming  from  one  who  poses  as  an  expositor 
superior  to  Mr.  Wesley. 

Comment,  — i.  In  discussing  the  experience 
of  the  Christians  at  Corinth,  on  page  loi  and 
i02,  he  positively  affirmed  that  they  had  no 
religion,  that  they  **  were  in  a  state  of  spirit- 
ual death  and  condemnation,"  because  they 
were  not  saved  from  carnality.  2.  Now,  as  he 
has  got  through  with  that  church,  ^and  has  left 
the  members  as  a  lot  of  backsliders,  he  adopts 
the  same  passage  of  Scripture  that  the  Holy 
Ghost  used  in  describing  the  experience  of  the 
members  of  the  church  at  Corinth  to  set  forth 
the  blessed  experience  of  all  who  are  regener- 
ated. 

Boland,  p.  125. — "Christ  said:  *  That 
which  is  born  flesh  is  flesh,  and  that  which  is 
born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit.'  (John  3  :  6.)  Dr. 
Clarke  says  :  *  Like  will  beget  like.  The  king- 
dom of  God  is  spiritual  and   holy  ;   and  that 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


147 


which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  resembles  the 
Spirit ;  for  as  he  is  who  begat,  so  is  he  who  is 
begotten  of  him.  .  .  .  This  new  birth  implies 
the  renewing  of  the  whole  soul  in  righteousness 
and  true  holiness  ;  .  .  .  it  comprehends  not  only 
pardon,  but  also  sanctification  or  holiness.' " 

Note.  —  This  is  another  sample  of  Mr.  Bo- 
land's  gathering-up  of  fragments  from  different 
sources,  to  bolster  up  his  theory,  and  to  delude 
those  who  may  not  have  Dr.  Clarke's  Commen- 
taries to  see  for  themselves.  We  look  in  vain 
to  find  these  comments  under  John  3:6.  in 
Dr.  Clarke's  Commentary. 

Comment. —  i.  There  is  absolutely  nothing 
in  the  doctor's  comment  on  this  verse  of  Scrip- 
ture that  even  hints  that  the  soul  is  cleansed 
from  all  sin  when  regenerated.  2.  Some  of  Mr. 
Boland's  fragments  are  gleaned  from  Dr.  Clarke's 
comment  on  verse  3,  where  he  speaks,  not  of 
becoming  the  children  of  God,  but  the  full 
change  necessary  in  order  to  enter  heaven. 
3.  The  words  **  implies  "  and  **  comprehends  " 
are  made  by  Mr.  Boland  to  mean  a  good  deal 
more  than  they  do.  4.  The  sinner  that  repents 
of  his  sin  "implies"  by  doing  so  that  he  is 
going  to  perfect  holiness — he  pledges  himself 
to  be  holy.  5.  The  word  "  comprehends  "  can 
mean  only  that  **  he  takes  into  his  mind ;  "    that 


w 
I 


■  ■  -  ■  -?.ti 


148 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


f 


is,  he  becomes  conscious  of  how  much  God 
requires  of  him,  even  holiness  of  heart  and  life. 

BoLAND,  p.  226.  —  "  If  depraved  *  Adam  begat 
a  son  in  his  own  likeness,  after  his  image,'  then 
the  soul  that  is  '  born  of  God  '  of  '  incorruptible 
seed,'  *  born  of  the  Holy  Spirit,'  cannot  be  *  im- 
pure,' cannot  have  *  inbred  sin  remaining  in  it  ; ' 
but  it  must  be  *  pure,'  *  cleansed  from  all  un- 
righteousness,' 'from  all  sin  !  '  " 

Note.  —  We  will  not  dispute  Mr.  Boland's 
reasoning  here,  but  we  must  examine  it.  His 
argument  is  that  if  Adam  begat  a  son  in  his 
own  likeness,  that  all  who  are  born  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  must  also  be  in  his  perfect  image.  If  it 
does  not  mean  this,  it  means  nothing. 

Comment.  —  i.  All  who  are  born  of  Adam 
have  his  fallen,  depraved  mind,  because  they  are 
born  in  his  likeness.  2.  The  Holy  Ghost  is  per- 
fect God;  he  knows  all  things,  past,  present,  and 
future,  he  makes  no  mistakes,  and  never  errs  in 
judgment.  3.  If  man  is  in  the  perfect  likeness 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  when  he  is  regenerated,  as 
he  was  in  the  perfect  image  of  Adam,  when  begat 
by  him,  then  all  who  are  regenerated  know 
all  things,  past,  present,  and  future ;  they  make 
no  mistakes,  and  they  do  not  err  in  judgment. 
4.  If  man  must  be  in  the  likeness  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  as  he  was  in  the  likeness  of  Adam,  then 


M 


i         i 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


149 


his  perfection  must  be  absolute  from  the  mo- 
ment he  is  regenerated.  This  is  Mr.  Boland's 
logic. 


"THE   MODERN    FATHERS   IN 
TROUBLE.' 


»> 


It  may  be  asked  why  there  were  no  notes 
written  on  this  chapter  ?  There  are  different 
reasons  which  we  may  state  here  for  not  doing 
so. 

I.  There  has  been  nothing  said  by  Mr.  Boland 
in  this  chapter,  to  the  point  discussed,  but  has 
been  clearly  refuted  already,  or  will  be  in  the 
latter  part  of  our  notes.  2.  Any  argument  that 
he  uses  here  was  used  in  another  form  in  other 
parts  of  his  book.  This  chapter  is  a  re-hash  of 
what  he  has  said  already,  and  many  times  over, 
with  a  few  scurrilous  thrusts  at  holy  men  and 
their  honest  efforts  to  spread  Scriptural  holiness. 

3.  He  has  called  this  chapter  the  "  Modern 
Fathers  in  Trouble  "  and  yet,  he  did  not  attempt 
to  show  us  one  point  on  which  they  differed. 

4.  The  "  Modern  Fathers  "  are  singing  together, 
that  they  have  reached  the  land  that  floweth 
with  milk  and  honey,  of  corn  and  wine,  and  Mr. 


r  '  m 


I  '< ' 


:      I 

f    1  % 

■  ! 

■   (  • 


I? 


150 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


Boland  is  casting  stones  at  them,  as  if  their 
singing  annoyed  him.  5.  The  "  Modern  Fathers  " 
adopted  the  language  of  Caleb,  "  Let  us  go  up 
at  once,  and  possess  it  ;  for  we  are  well  able  to 
overcome  it."  Mr.  Boland  adopted  the  language 
of  the  spies  who  gave  an  evil  report  and  said, 
**  We  be  not  able  to  go  up  against  the  people, 
for  they  are  stronger  than  we."  6.  The  "  Modern 
Fathers  "  have  crossed  over,  and  have  taken 
Jericho  ;  they  are  exploring  the  land  from  Dan 
to  Beersheba.  They  have  learned  to  look  by 
faith  above  giants  and  walls. 

Mr.  Boland  h^s  on  what  he  foolishly  thinks 
are  philosophical  glasses,  and  he  can  see  nothing 
only  giants  and  walls. 

7.  The  "  Modern  Fathers  "  are  living  on  the 
delicious  fruit  of  the  land,  and  are  calling  to 
others  to  cross  over.  They  are  well  fed  and 
are  stronsr  to  overcome  their  enemies.  There 
is  a  constant  shout  of  victory  in  their  camp 
and  their  numbers  are  multiplying  exceedingly. 
Mr.  Boland  has  been  living  on  the  manna  of 
the  wilderness.  He  has  not  followed  the  pillar 
and  is  in  the  shade  — hence  his  murmuring  and 
complaining. 


11 


r 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


151 


"REGENERATION  A  PARTIAL 
RENOVATION." 

BoLAND,  P.  i6i.  —  "  What  will  Mr.  Orthodoxy 
think  and  say  of  all  this  ?  Surely  he  has  been 
on  a  journey,  or  taking  a  nap,  while  these  Modern 
Fathers  have  been  dressing  up  this  *  new  man  '  ? 
With  the  *  carnal  mind  still  surviving  the  death 
throes  of  crucifixion  and  in  a  state  of  active 
rebellion,'  with  '  the  former  corruptions  of  the 
heart  still  remaining  and  striving  for  the  mastery,' 
he  looks  more  like  St.  Paul's  *  old  man  '  crying 
out,  *Who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of 
this  death  ? '  " 

Note. — The  **  Modern  Fathers  "  teach  that 
it  is  the  blood  bought  privilege  of  all  the  chil- 
dren of  God  to  have  the  man  of  sin  totally  de- 
stroyed and  to  be  entirely  renewed  in  the  image 
of  God.  They  teach  that  this  experience  is 
obtained  by  faith.  That  it  is  the  privilege  of 
all  to  receive  this  experience  at  any  time  after 
they  have  been  regenerated.  That  when  it  has 
been  received  there  is  no  more  warfare  between 
the  flesh  and  the  spirit.  No  one  of  them  believes 
that    man   has  two   natures,  save   the   fathers 


V 


J  i 


1.1. 


iiiiii 


i 


tfl^^iffl 


152 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


li 


among  Mr.  Boland's  theological  friends,  the 
Plymouth  Brethren. 

Comment.  —  Mr.  Roland  claims,  that  what 
Mr.  Wesley  and  the  modern  fathers  teach  for  a 
second  work  of  grace  is  all  wrought  when  the 
soul  is  regenerated.  That  when  the  soul  is  re- 
generated the  work  of  entire  sanctification  is 
complete  and  perfect.  He  found  out  that  his 
own  experience  did  not  agree  with  this,  and 
that  it  was  not  the  experience  of  the  children 
of  God.  He  turned  to  mental  philosophy  to  g«et 
out  of  his  difficulty  and  he  learned  that  his 
childish  attempt  at  philosophy  gave  no  relief. 
His  only  way  then  was  to  deny  that  man  fell  — 
to  try  to  make  it  appear  that  God  made  man 
with  two  natures,  to  contend  with  each  other, 
and  the  will  was  to  decide  which  of  them  should 
prevail.  He  saw  that  this  could  not  be  done 
by  accepting  man  from  the  hands  of  his  Maker. 
He  decided  to  accept  him  after  the  devil  had 
accomplished  his  design  in  him.  He  found  in 
him  what  would  serve  as  a  basis  for  his  two- 
nature  theory  which  he  adopted  from  heathen 
philosophy.  He  saw  that  out  of  this,  he  could 
develop  the  theory  that  a  warfare  would  go  on 
after  the  man  was  entirely  sanctified. 

The  difference  between  the  modern  fathers 
and  Mr.  Boland   is  this ;  they  have  a  perfect 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


158 


deliverance  from  sinful  tendencies,  he  will  have 
his  warfare  to  the  end  without  any  hope  of  a 
deliverance  even  then. 

BoLAND,  p.  162.  —  "  He  looks  more  like  St. 
Paul's  *  old  man  '  crying  out  *  Who  shall  deliver 
me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ?'  than  St.  Paul's 
*  new  man  which  is  created  after  the  divine 
pattern  in  uprightness  and  moral  purity. 

Note.  —  Mr.  Boland  has  the  audacity  to  make 
scripture  to  suit  himself,  and  assumes  authority 
to  quote  it  for  the  authorized  version.  What 
he  has  given  here,  as  St.  Paul's  "  new  man  "  is 
his  own  manufacture,  and,  yet,  he  has  the  bold- 
ness to  give  it  as  the  authorized  version  of  the 
word  of  God  to  deceive  the  unw^ary. 

Comment.  —  He  has  mutilated,  corrupted, 
and  perverted  in  this  instance  (Eph.  4 :  22,  23, 
24).  This  is  the  authorized  version  :  *'  That  ye 
put  off  concerning  the  former  conversation  the 
old  man,  which  is  corrupt  according  to  the  deceit- 
ful lusts  ;  and  be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  your 
mind  ;  And  that  ye  put  on  the  new  man  which 
after  God  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true 
holiness."  We  ask  again  why  does  Mr.  Boland 
constantly  pervert  God's  word  and  substitute 
for  it  his  own. 

Boland,  p.  163.  —  '*  My  object  in  writing 
these  pages  is  not  to  convert  any  one  who  holds 


V 


lii 


.1 


W' 


"d 


i  1  III 
"It-    -" 


154 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


the  *  residue  theory/  but  to  relieve  those  who  are 
bewildered  by  the  absurdities  involved  in  this 
theory,  and  to  show  all  concerned  that  a  man 
may  reject  the  *  residue  theory'  and  still  be  in 
accord  with  our  Articles  of  Faith  and  in  harmony 
with  our  *  standards  '  so  far  as  they  are  in  har- 
mony with  themselves  and  the  plain  teaching 
of  the  Bible." 

Note.  —  Mr.  Boland  then  did  not  write  his 
book  to  convert  those  who  hold  the  "  residue 
theory."  He  says  that  was  not  his  object  in 
writing.  Why  did  he  not  ?  Does  he  mean 
that  they  would  not  accept  the  truth  }  Or  did 
he  believe  that  they  would  not  know  the  truth 
when  they  would  read  it  .•*  i.  It  is  certain  that 
he  had  not  much  faith  in  what  he  wrote. 
2.  He  must  have  known  that  they  had  an  experi- 
ence beyond  what  he  was  writing.  3.  He  ex- 
pected that  those  who  were  in  the  full  light  of 
the  gospel  would  see  at  once  his  attitude.  4. 
He  must  have  expected  that  they  would  detect 
his  mutilation  of  the  Holy  Scriptures.  5.  He 
wrote  to  suit  carnal  nature.  It  was  soothing 
to  himself,  and  he  knew  it  would  be  to  those 
who  did  not  wish  to  humble  themselves  to  seek 
the  perfect  deliverance  from  the  carnal  mind. 
6.  Mr.  Boland  has  evidently  little  faith  in  his 
own  theory,  or  else  very  little  concern  for  the 


til 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


155 


e 

s 

n 


spiritual  welfare  of  those  who  hold  what  he  calls 
the  "  residue  theory,"  or  else  he  would  be  de- 
sirous of  seeking  their  well-being,  since  error 
in  doctrine  leads  to  wrong  practice  in  life. 

BoLAND,  p.  163. — "We  would  start  the 
young  convert,  the  new-born  soul,  and  the  re- 
claimed backslider  exactly  on  the  same  plane  of 
moral  purity  which  is  claimed  for  one  who  has 
received  this  *  second  change.'  " 

Note.  —  Mr.  Boland  could  write  nothing 
farther  from  the  truth  than  this,  if  he  were  try- 
ing to  do  so.  All  who  will  examine  this  closely 
will  see  his  imposition  at  once. 

Comment.  —  Mr.  Boland  has  taught,  so  far, 
that  the  desires  for  forbidden  objects  are  never 
destroyed.  He  has  positively  taught  that  to  be 
saved  from  these  things  is  one  of  two  errors  : 
**  There  are  two  erroneous  opinions  or  theories. 
The  one  is,  that  such  is  the  condition  of  man's 
lower  nature,  since  the  fall,  that  it  is  impossible 
for  him  to  live  without  committing  sin  daily. 
The  other  is,  that  all  the  lower  affinities  and 
sensibilities  of  our  nature  must  be  so  crucified 
and  destroyed,  that  there  will  be  no  stirring  of 
the  emotions,  nor  enkindling  of  the  desires, 
toward  any  forbidden  object."     Problem,  p.  35. 

Mr.  Boland  would  have  us  believe  that  the 
young  convert  with  desires  and  emotions  which 


■H'^  e 


■1;  ft' 


H  '  •■?l 


156 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


i  ; 


I' 


!£   I 


kindle  toward  a  forbidden  object,  is  "on  the  same 
plane  of  moral  purity  "  as  those  who  have  had  all 
desires  and  emotions  for  forbidden  objects 
totally  destroyed. 

1.  All  holiness  teachers  would  agree  with  Mr. 
Boland  in  condemning  the  ^rst  error  that  he 
refers   to. 

2.  No  teacher  of  holiness  would  agree  with 
him  regarding  the  second. 

3.  All  holiness  teachers  know  that  all  desires 
for  forbidden  objects  are  totally  destroyed  when 
the  *'  second  change  "  has  been  experienced. 

4.  When  Mr.  Boland  says  that  he  starts  the 
young  convert  and  the  reclaimed  backslider  on 
the  same  plane  of  moral  purity  as  those  who 
have  received  the  "second  change,"  he  must 
totally  abandon  his  two-nature  theory. 

5.  He  does  not  seem  to  notice  that  he  con- 
tradicts here  nearly  everything  that  he  has  said 
previously  ;  but  this  contradiction  is  so  apparent 
that  we  are  forced  to  the  conclusion  that  it 
results  frorn  mental  inability  to  discern  the 
truth,  and  not  from  any  desire  to  deceive. 

Boland,  p.  164.  —  "  St.  John's  theory  of  the 
divine  life  is :  'If  we  confess  our  sins,  he  is 
faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins  and  to 
cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness.'  *  My  little 
children,  these  things  write  I  unto  you,  that  ye 


T 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


157 


sin  not.  And  if  any  man  sin,  we  have  an  ad- 
vocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  right- 
eous ;  and  he  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins  ;and 
not  for  ours  only,  but  also  for  the  sins  of  the 
whole  world.*  (  i  John  i  :  9  ;  2  :  i,  2.)  In  this 
theory  entire  sanctification  —  a  *  cleansing  from 
all  unrighteousness  '  —  follows  *  forgiveness,' 
and  the  *  second  cleansing  '  was  contingent  upon 
such  a  man  *  committing  sins,*  and  not  because 
'regeneration  is  a  partial  renovation  —  a  partial 
change.' " 

Note.  —  Mr.  Boland  has  given  up  his  theory 
here.  It  is  probable  that  he  did  not  intend  so 
to  do.  On  I  John  i  :  9,  "  If  we  confess  our  sins, 
he  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins  and 
to  cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness."  He 
says  :  "  In  this  theory,  entire  sanctification  — 
a  cleansing  from  all  unrighteousness  —  follows 
forgiveness."  i.  He  positively  affirms  here 
that  the  soul  is  not  entirely  sanctified  when 
"forgiveness"  is  received,  but  a  " 'cleansing 
from  all  unrighteousness'  follows."  2.  Mr. 
Boland  could  not  make  them  take  place  at  the 
same  time,  it  not  being  in  the  infinitive  mood. 
3.  He  simply  affirms  that  it  "  follows,"  and  goes 
on  to  make  another  attack  on  the  truth. 

Comment.  —  Mr.  Boland  uses  the  following 
passage  of  Scripture  to  prove  that  a  believer 


(ii 
■I.'* 


ft      t 


i: 


W 


( 


158 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


must  fall  from  grace  before  he  can  receive  the 
"second  change:"  "  My  little  children,  these 
things  write  I  unto  you,  that  ye  sin  not,  and  if 
any  man  sin,  we  have  an  advocate  with  the 
Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous  ;  and  he  is 
the  propitiation  for  our  sins  ;  and  not  for  ours 
only,  but  also  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world." 
(i  John  I  :  I,  2.)  I.  According  to  Mr.  Boland, 
a  believer  must  commit  sin  in  order  to  be  en- 
tirely sanctified  because  it  "  follows  *  forgive- 
ness.' "  It  is  not  wrought  at  the  same  time,  and 
a  second  change  is  impossible  except  the 
believer  commit  sin. 

2.  According  to  Mr.  Boland's  teaching,  it  is  a 
good  thing  to  commit  sin,  the  soul  not  being 
entirely  sanctified  when  the  sins  are  forgiven, 
this  work  **  follows,"  and  could  not  follow  or  be 
wrought  until  sin  is  committed. 

3.  This  epistle  of  John  was  addressed  tc 
Fathers,  young  men,  and  children  in  the 
church  :  "  I  write  unto  you.  Fathers,  because 
ye  have  known  him  that  is  from  the  beginning. 
I  write  unto  you,  young  men,  because  ye  have 
overcome  the  wicked  one.  I  write  unto  you 
little  children,  because  ye  have  known  the 
Father."     (i  John  2  :  13.) 

4.  Some  of  them  were  Fathers,  some  young 
men,  and  some  children,  in  Christian  experience, 


i. 


le 
if 

le 

s 

*s 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


159 


and  yet  according  to  Mr.  Boland's  theory,  they 
were  all  backsliders.  * 

5.  The  apostle  affirmed  positively  that  these 
Christians  had  sin,  and  made  confession  an 
absolute  necessity  ;  "  If  we  say  that  we  have  no 
sin,  we  deceive  ourselves,  and  the  truth  is  not 
in  us.  If  we  confess  our  sins  he  is  faithful  and 
just  to  forgive  us  our  sins  and  cleanse  us  from 
all  unrighteousness." 

6.  Mr.  Boland  has  a  choice  here.  He  can 
say  that  they  had  inbred  sin  in  them  after  their 
regeneration  ;  or,  he  can  say  that  they  were  all 
backsliders,  and  the  Apostle  should  have  known 
better  than  to  call  them  fathers,  young  men,  and 
children  in  religious  experience. 

7.  Mr.  Boland  must  accept  Mr.  Wesley's 
Notes  here  because  they  were  revised  in  1788. 
"  Fathets,  ye  have  known  him  that  is  from  the 
beginning  —  ye  have  known  the  eternal  God  as 
no  other,  even  true  believers  know  him.    Young 

len,  ye  have  overcome  the  wicked  one  in  many 
>attles,  by  the  power  of  faith.  Little  children, 
ye  have  known  the  Father  as  your  Father, 
though  ye  have  not  yet  overcome,  by  the  Spirit 
witnessing  with  your  spirit  that  ye  are  the  chil- 
dren of  God." 

Boland,  p.  165.  —  "  As  Justification  cancels 
the  guilt  of  sin,  so  regeneration   removes   the 


I 

Hi 


^i 


160 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


llr 


11  ; 


corruption  of  sin.  God  can  no  more  cleanse  us 
in  part  than  he  can  forgive  us  in  part." 

Note.  —  According  to  this  statement  how 
can  Mr.  Boland  have  "  two  natures "  in  him, 
contending  with  each  other  ?  Did  God  not 
cleanse  his  "  two  natures  "  for  him  ?  We  would 
recommend  that  he  go  back  to  the  cross.  Per- 
haps one  of  these  natures  belongs  to  Mr. 
Boland  and  the  other  to  the  devil.  If  these 
two  natures  belong  to  Mr.  Boland  has  he  two 
hearts  }  If  only  one,  in  which  of  his  natures  is 
his  heart }  Mr.  Boland  would  likely  say  in  the 
lower  nature  ;  then  the  upper  nature  must  be 
what  Mr.  Boland  has  represented  it  to  be  —  a 
heartless  thing. 

Boland,  p.  167.  —  "Sin  is  not  a  substance 
but  an  act ;  not  a  thing  existing,  but  a  thing 
done  ;  and  moral  corruption  is  a  retroaction 
which  supervenes  upon  this  voluntary  wrong 
act,  inducing  a  wrong  state  of  moral  powers. 
Vice  vcfsa,,  virtue  is  not  a  substance,  but  an 
act ;  not  a  thing  existing,  but  a  thing  done ; 
and  holiness  is  the  result,  or  the  retroaction,  of 
voluntary  right  action." 

Note.  —  According  to  these  definitions  it 
would  be  impossible  for  Mr.  Boland  to  believe 
in  a  *' second  change"  being  wrought  in  the 
heart.    If  his  definitions  are  correct  there  would 


!!:fl 


I 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


161 


be  no  necessity  for,  or  possibility  of,  the  first 
change.  He  denies  that  there  is  any  such  thing 
as  sin  existing  in  a  man.  Then  no  man  ever 
was  saved  from  sin,  since  no  such  thir%  exists. 
Having  concluded  that  no  such  thing  as  sin 
exists,  he  readily  decides  'that  there  is  no  such 
thing  as  virtue.  According  to  his  definition  sin 
consists  entirely  in  doing  wrong.  Virtue  then 
must  consist  entirely  in  virtuous  acts.  Ac- 
cording to  Mr.  Boland  there  is  no  such  thing  as 
a  sinful  principle  in  a  man  from  which  wrong 
actions  emanate ;  likewise  there  can  be  no 
good  principle  infused. 

Comment.  —  i.  If  there  be  no  such  thing 
as  sin,  then  "  lust  "  cannot  be  a  sin,  because 
it  is  not  an  act.  Then  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
made  a  great  mistake  when  he  said,  "  But  I  say 
unto  you,  that  whosoever  looketh  on  a  woman 
to  lust  after  her  hath  committed  adultery  with 
her  already  in  his  heart.     (Matt.  5  :  28.) 

2.  It  is  plainly  stated  here,  that  it  is  not 
necessary  to  commit  the  act,  in  order  to  be 
guilty  of  the  sin.  The  desire  is  stated  by 
Jesus  to  be  equal  to  the  act  committed.  Jesus 
positively  stated  that  lust  is  sin. 

3.  Covetousness  is  not  an  act,  and  yet  God 
says  :  '^Thou  shalt  not  covet."  It  is  not  diffi- 
cult to  see  h^  7  Mr.  Boland  could  conclude  and 


H 


162 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


teach  that  there  is  no  necessity  for  a  "  second 
change."  He  could  have  a  whole  brood  of 
vipers  within  him —  if  he  only  controlled  them, 
he  would  count  himself  "morally  pure."  His 
**  moral  purity  "  is  entirely  external  and  takes 
no  account  of  inward  corruption. 


"CHRISTIAN  PERFECTION." 


''1 1 


i    ^^-'4 1 


BoLAND,  P.  191. — "It  takes  the  moral  pu- 
rity of  sanctification  and  a  growth  in  grace  to 
mature  into  perfection.  The  young  Christians 
who  fail  to  see  all  this  fail  to  maintain  a  pure 
heart,  and  for  the  want  of  a  pure  heart,  they 
fail  to  grow ;  and  for  the  want  of  a  pure  heart, 
and  the  growth  that  would  follow,  they  fail  to 
go  on  unto  perfection." 

Note.  —  If  the  young  Christians  were  pure 
in  heart  they  would  know  it ;  they  know  that 
they  are  regenerated.  They  do  not  need  to  be 
able  to  recite  some  philosophical  formula  in 
order  to  have  a  basis  to  stand  on.  They  are  on 
the  Rock,  and  they  have  the  infallible  testimony 
that  they  are  saved.  They  have  the  Holy 
Ghost  in  their  hearts,  to  bear  witness  to  all  that 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


163 


"wm 


li' 


has  been  done,  and  they  do  not  need  any  prob- 
lem of  mental  philosophy  to  demonstrate  it. 

Comment.  —  Those  who  have  the  "  second 
change  "  have  gone  *'  on  unto  perfection  ;  "  they 
have  the  evidence  of  their  entire  sanctification 
as  clear  as  to  their  regeneration.  They  had 
the  evidence  of  their  regeneration  when  they 
sought  entire  sanctification. 

BoLAND,  p.  192. — "There  is  no  such  thing 
as  a  gradual  growing  out  of  sin,  for  sin  is  not  a 
thing  to  be  outgrown,  but  an  act  to  be  forgiven, 
and  a  stain  to  be  washed  away." 

Note.  —  Sin  is  nothing  more  according  to 
Mr.  Boland  than  an  act  and  a  stain.  We  do  not 
wonder  that  he  believes  that  it  was  all  done  at 
regeneration.  If  the  forgiving  of  an  act,  and 
the  washing  a  stain,  be  all  of  redemption  we 
would  quite  agree  with  him,  that  there  is  no 
necessity  for  either  the  Jirsl  or  second  change. 

Comment.  — We  much  prefer  St.  Paul's  defi- 
nition, **  Knowing  this,  that  our  old  man  is  cru- 
cified with  him,  that  the  body  of  sin  might  be 
destroyed."  When  we  are  regenerated  the  old 
man  is  crucified,  that  the  body  of  sin  might  be 
(not  is)  destroyed. 

Dr.  Adam  Clarke  says  :  "  By  the  destruction 
of  the  body  of  sin,  our  old  man,  our  wicked, 
corrupt,  and  fleshly  self,  is  to  be  crucified ;  to 


'.'  >l 


■.l\. 


164 


NOTES    ON   BOLAND. 


1 


n 

V 


be  as  truly  slain  as  Christ  was  crucified  ;  that 
our  souls  may  be  as  truly  raised  from  a  death  of 
sin  to  a  life  of  righteousness,  as  the  body  of 
Christ  was  raised  from  the  grave." 

BoLAND,  p.  192.  —  **The  guilt  of  sin  must 
be  forgiven,  and  the  pollution  of  sin  must  be 
washed  away  by  faith  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  ; 
and  all  this  is  an  instantaneous  work." 

Note.  —  So  says  Mr.  Boland.  St.  Paul  does 
not  say  so.  He  exhorted  the  church  to  seek  the 
"second  change."  ** Having  therefore  these 
promises,  dearly  beloved,  let  us  cleanse  our- 
selves from  all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and 
spirit,  perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God." 
(2  Cor.  7:1.) 

St.  John  says  :  **  Beloved,  now  are  we  the 
sons  of  God,  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we 
shall  be  :  but  we  know  that  when  he  shall 
appear,  we  shall  be  like  him  ;  ur  we  shall  see  him 
as  he  is.  And  every  man  that  hath  this  hope 
in  him  purifieth  himself,  even  as  he  is  pure. 
(I  John  3:2,  3.) 

Comment. —  i.  No  one  can  deny  that  the 
Apostle  John  was  addressing  Christians  in  this 
second  verse.  2.  It  cannot  be  denied  that  the 
same  persons  were  addressed  in  the  third  verse. 
3.  Neither  can  it  be  denied  that  these  sons  of 
God  were  to  purify  themselves  even  as  Christ  is 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


1G5 


pure.  4.  It  cannot  be  said  that  reference  was 
made  to  their  lives  and  not  to  their  nature. 
The  pure  in  heart  must  of  necessity  be  pure  in 
life.  Dr.  Adam  Clarke  says  :  (As  he  is  pure) 
"  Till  he  is  as  completely  saved  from  his  sins  as 
Christ  was  free  from  sin."  5.  If  there  were  no 
other  Scripture  on  this  point,  this  passage  alone 
would  completely  annihilate  Mr.  Boland's  theory. 

BoLAND,  p.  194.  —  "When  *old  things  are 
passed  away  and  all  things  become  new,'  the 
believer  is  sanctified,  freed  from  sin,  and  'be- 
comes a  servant  of  God.*  From  that  moment 
he  is  one  of  the  'elect  of  God  the  Father,  through 
sanctification  of  the  Spirit  unto  obedience  and 
sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ.'  " 

Note. — This  was  not  Mr.  Wesley's  experi- 
ence, and  we  know  of  none  greater  since  the 
days  of  the  apostles.  Mr.  Wesley  examined  his 
experience  after  his  conversion  by  (2  Cor.  5 : 
17).  "If  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new 
creature  ;  old  things  are  passed  away ;  behold, 
all  things  are  become  new." 

He  analyzed  this  text  and  examined  his  spirit- 
ual state  under  the  following  heads  : 

I.  "  His  judgments  are  new."  "I  am,  in  this 
respect,  a  new  creature."  II.  "  His  designs  are 
new."  "  I  am,  in  this  respect,  a  new  creature." 
HI.  "  His  desires  are  new."     "  I  dare  not  say 


16B 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


! 


li 


I  am  a  new  creature  in  this  respect.  For  other 
desires  often  arise  in  my  heart ;  but  they  do  not 
reign.  I  put  them  all  under  my  feet,  'through 
Christ  which  strengtheneth  me.'  Therefore  I 
believe  he  is  creating  me  anew  in  this  also ; 
and  that  he  has  begun,  though  not  finished,  his 
work."  IV.  **  His  conversation  is  new."  *'  In  this 
respect,  I  am  a  new  creature."  V.  **  His  actions 
are  new."  **  In  this  respect,  I  am  a  new 
creature."  "  But  St.  Paul  tells  us  elsewhere, 
that  *  the  fruit  of  the  spirit  is  love,  peace,  joy, 
long-suffering,  gentleness,  meekness,  temper- 
ance : '  Now  although,  by  the  grace  of  God  in 
Christ,  I  find  a  measure  of  some  of  these  in  my- 
self :  namely,  of  peace,  long-suffering,  gentle- 
ness, meekness,  temperance ;  yet  others  I  find 
not.  I  cannot  find  in  myself  the  love  of  God, 
or  of  Christ.  Hence  my  deadness  and  wander- 
ings in  public  prayer.  Hence  it  is,  that  even  in 
the  holy  communion  I  have  frequently  no  more 
than  a  cold  attention.  Again  :  I  have  not  that 
joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost  ;  no  settled,  lasting  joy. 
Nor  have  I  such  a  peace  as  excludes  the  possi- 
bility either  of  fear  or  doubt."  Journal,  Vol.  L, 
p.  i6i,  162,  Oct.,  1738. 

Will  Mr.  Boland  tell  us  that  Mr.  Wesley  was 
a  backslider  ;  if  so,  he  must  prove  it  before  we 
believe  it. 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


107 


'i' 


BoLAND,  P.  196. —  •*  We  must  remember  that 
purity  and  maturity  are  not  the  same.  Purity 
is  the  result  of  cleansing  ;  maturity  is  the  result 
of  growth.  The  justified  believer,  the  new-born 
soul,  is  'cleansed  from  all  unrighteousness,'  is 
sanctified  by  the  *  washing  of  regeneration  and 
the  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost ; '  but  he  is  not 
a  mature  Christian,  for  that  implies  time,  ex- 
perience, and  growth.  The  Bible  teaches  a 
gradual  maturity  ;  but  when  God  cleanses  a 
soul,  he  says :  *  I  will ;  be  thou  clean,'  and  the 
work  is  done !  A  full  salvation  from  all  sin  is 
the  present  and  constant  privilege  of  all  who 
are  in  Christ  and  abide  in  him  ;  and  ail  who 
thus  abide  in  him  are  prepared  for  a  rapid,  solid 
growth  in  grace.  *  He  that  abideth  in  me,  and 
I  in  him,  the  same  bringeth  forth  much  fruit.' " 

Note.  —  The  reading  of  the  above  paragraph 
makes  us  feel  as  though  its  author  was  afflicted 
to  a  great  extent  with  moral  blindness.  The 
use  of  the  terms  ''  purity "  and  "  maturity  " 
are  served  up  with  much  confidence  as  if  these 
terms  had  settled  the  point  for  all  who  may 
read.  Mr.  Boland  has  used  the  word  purity  in 
an  absolute  sense  all  through  his  book  to  prove 
that  from  the  moment  the  soul  is  regenerated, 
there  is  no  need  for  the  atonement ;  all  that  is 
necessary  is  to  obey  and  grow  into  maturity. 


168 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


'^H 

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1 

Maturity  must  be  a  point  in  experience  to 
which,  whoever  attains  unto  it,  can  claim  abso- 
lute, infallible  perfection.  It  being  a  growth, 
the  soul  must  reach  a  state  from  which  there  is 
no  advancement,  or  it  could  not  be  designated 
maturity. 

Comment.  —  Mr.  Boland  persistently  begs  the 
question,  saying  that  the  soul  is  entirely  cleansed 
from  all  sin  when  regenerated,  contrary  to  the 
plain  teaching  of  all  Scripture.  In  this  con- 
nection he  quotes  :  John  15:5.  "  He  that  abid- 
eth  in  me,  and  I  in  him,  the  same  bringeth 
forth  much  fruit."  Why  did  he  not  quote  the 
second  verse,  "  Every  branch  that  beareth  fruit, 
he  purgeth  it,  that  it  may  bring  forth  more  fruit." 
This  would  not  answer  his  purpose.  It  would 
completely  destroy  his  whole  theory.  The  pur- 
ging of  a  branch  bearing  fruit  is  one  of  the 
things  most  foreign  to  his  whole  book.  He 
would  be  under  the  necessity  of  inventing  some 
theory  by  which  he  might  attempt  to  prove  that 
these  were  branches  that  were  "cast  forth." 
Dr.  Adam  Clarke  says  :  "  He  who  brings  forth 
fruit  to  God's  glory,  according  to  his  light  and 
power,  will  have  the  hindrances  taken  away 
from  his  heart ;  for  his  very  thoughts  shall  be 
cleansed  by  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 

Boland,  p.  197.  —  "  The  worst  sinner  grows 


ir^' 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


169 


most  rapidly  in  hellish  passions,  and  the  best 
Christian  grows  most  rapidly  in  heavenly  virtues 
and  the  Christian  graces." 

Note.  —  How  can  one  Christian  be  better 
than  another  if  God  has  done  all  that  he  can  for 
him  when  he  regenerated  him.  If  all  are  made 
pure  when  regenerated,  and  if  this  purity  is  re- 
tained, then  will  they  not  grow  with  equal 
rapidity.  When  Mr.  Boland  says  that  some  are 
better  than  others  he  unwittingly  gives  up  his 
whole  theory.  Some  being  better  are  therefore 
purer  than  others. 

Boland,  p.  197.  —  "  To  be  cleansed  from  all 
sin  is  a  work  to  be  done  by  the  Spirit,  acting 
directly  upon  the  soul ;  but  to  bring  the  Chris- 
tian graces  to  the  highest  state  of  maturity  is  a 
work  of  time  to  be  carried  on  to  the  day  of 
Jesus  Christ." 

Note.  —  If  what  Mr.  Boland  says  here  be 
true,  then  there  can  be  no  such  thing  as  Chris- 
tian Perfection  in  this  life.  He  says  that  "  ma- 
turity is  a  work  of  time  to  be  carried  on  to  the 
day  of  Jesus  Christ,"  and  he  has  said  that  **  there 
comes  a  state  of  maturity,  and  that  state  of 
maturity  is  called  Christian  Perfection."  Then, 
since  the  "day  of  Jesus  Christ "  does  not  refer 
to  any  period  in  Christian  probation,  no  person 
can  have  Christian  perfection  in  this  life. 


1*    }    1 

I 


i  I 


170 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


,  Comment. — To  the  law  and  the  testimony, 
**  How  readest  thou."  "  Mark  the  perfect  man." 
(Ps.  37 :  37.)  **  Let  us  therefore,  as  many  as 
be  perfect  be  thus  minded."  (Phil.  3:  15.) 
"  Herein  is  our  love  made  perfect,  that  we  may 
have  boldness  in  the  day  of  judgment;  because 
as  he  is,  so  are  we  in  this  world."  (i  John  4  :  17.) 
Having  the  plain  teaching,  facts,  and  experi- 
ences recorded  in  the  Bible  we  are  not  carried 
away  with  the  heated  imagination  of  men  who 
become  desperate  in  their  efforts  to  support 
their  theories.  This  one  statement  by  St.  John 
while  under  direct  inspiration  destroys  every 
theory  to  the  contrary. 

Dr.  Adam  Clarke  says :  [Herein  is  our  love 
made  perfect]  *'  By  God  dwelling  in  us,  and  we 
in  him  ;  having  cast  out  all  the  carnal  mind  that 
was  enmity  against  himself,  and  filled  the  whole 
heart  with  the  spirit  of  love  and  purity.  Thus 
the  love  is  made  perfect ;  when  it  thus  fills  the 
heart  it  has  all  its  degrees  ;  it  is  all  in  all ;  and 
all  in  every  power,  passion,  and  faculty  of  the 
soul."  Mr.  Wesley  says  :  "A  natural  man  has 
neither  fear  nor  love ;  one  that  is  awakened,  fear 
without  love ;  a  babe  in  Christ,  love  and  fear ; 
a  father  in  Christ,  love  without  fear. 

BoLAND,  p.  198.  —  "As  *  inbred  sin  '  is  de- 
rived from  Adam,  the  first  man,  so  in  the  new 


■li 


w 


NOTES    ON    nOLANI). 


171 


birth  righteousness  is  derived  from  Christ,  our 
second  Adam  ;  for  the  *  new  man  '  is  created 
according  to  the  [original]  divine  pattern  in 
righteousness  and  true  holiness." 

Note.  —  i.  It  is  true  that  inbred  sin  is  de- 
rived from  Adam.  2.  It  is  also  true  that  by 
the  second  Adam  we  are  created  anew  in  the 
divine  image  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness. 
3.  It  is  not  true  that  this  is  perfected  at  the 
new  birth.  4.  This  very  passage  of  scripture 
which  Mr.  Boland  has  here  mutilated  and  quoted 
proves  the  contrary.  5.  Mr.  Boland  will  not  tell 
us  that  the  members  of  the  Church  at  Ephesus 
had  backslidden  when  Paul  wrote  his  Epistle 
to  them.  6.  In  the  (4 :  22.)  they  were  com- 
manded to  "  put  off  "  the  "  former  conversation, 
the  old  man,  which  is  corrupt  according  to  the 
deceitful  lusts."  In  the  twenty-third  verse, 
they  are  to  be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  their 
minds.  In  the  twenty-fourth  verse,  they  were 
commanded  to  "  put  on  "  the  new  man,  which 
after  God  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true 
holiness." 

Dr.  Adam  Clarke  says  :  [Put  on  the  new  man,] 
"  Get  a  new  nature." 

Boland,  p.  198.  — ''  *  Now  ye  are  clean 
through  the  word  I  have  spoken  unto  you. 
Abide  in  me,  and  I  in  you.' 


I. 


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(I  V  < 


172 


NOTES   ON    BOI.AND. 


NoTF.  —  This  passage  of  scripture  proves  the 
very  opposite  of  that  which  Mr.  Boland  intends 
it  should  prove  here.  Jesus  positively  pro- 
nounced these  men  clean  and  he  afterwards 
prayed  for  their  sanctification.  Mr.  Boland  has 
the  audacity,  in  the  light  of  these  scriptures,  to 
declare  that  the  Apostles  did  not  receive  a 
"  Second  change."  He  has  written  what  he 
calls  "  The  Problem  of  Methodism  "  to  establish 
this  point.  He  has  not  in  words  referred  to  the 
experience  of  the  Apostles,  but  he  has  declared 
that  all  who  are  regenerated  are  entirely  sanc- 
tified. He  has  quoted  scripture  to  prove  his 
points,  but  he  has  not  mentioned  the  Saviour's 
prayer  for  the  sanctification  of  the  Apostles, 
the  twentieth  of  John,  or  the  second  of  Acts. 

Comment.  —  i.  The  Saviour  prayed  :  "  Sanc- 
tify them  through  thy  truth,  thy  word  is  truth." 
(John  17:  17.) 

2.  Mr.  Boland  has  labored  hard  to  prove  that 
the  soul  is  entirely  sanctified  when  regenerated. 
To  prove  it  he  quotes  :  '*  Now  ye  are  clean 
through  the  word  I   have  spoken    unto   you." 

(John  15:3.) 

3.  The  Saviour  must  have  known  better  than 
Mr.  Boland  and  he  prayed  for  their  sanctification. 

4.  Mr.  Boland  assumes  that  he  knows  better 
than  Jesus  did,   and  declares  that  they  were 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


173 


sanctified  before  Jesus  prayed  for  their  sancti- 
fication. 

5.  Dr.  Adam  Clarke  says  on  (John  17:  17.) 
[Sanctification]  "This  word  has  two  meanings: 
(i)  It  signifies  to  consecrate,  to  separate  from 
earth  and  common  use,  and  to  devote  or  dedi- 
cate to  God  and  his  service.  (2)  It  signifies  to 
make  holy  or  pure.  The  prayer  of  Christ  may 
be  understood  in  both  these  senses.  He  prayed  : 
(i)  That  they  might  be  fully  consecrated  to 
the  work  of  the  ministry,  and  separated  from 
all  worldly  concerns.  (2)  That  they  might  be 
holy,  and  patterns  of  all  holiness  to  those  to 
whom  they  announced  the  salvation  of  God. 
A  minister  who  engages  himself  in  worldly  con- 
cerns is  a  reproach  to  the  gospel  ;  and  he  who 
is  not  saved  from  his  own  sins  can  with  a  bad 
grace  recommend  salvation  to  others." 

6.  Mr.  Boland  does  not  seem  to  have  read 
(John  20  :  22.)  where  Jesus  "brea<"hed  on  them, 
and  said  unto  them  ;  Receive  ye  the  Holy 
Ghost." 

7.  Will  Mr.  Boland  tell  us  that  the  Apostles 
did  not  receive  an  experience,  wrought  by  the 
Holy  Ghost  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  that  they 
never  had  before  ?  All  who  will  read  the  "  sec- 
ond chapter  "  of  the  Acts  will  acknowledge 
it. 


4 


L  ^anie*m^itev»yjkmaaassKmi^  ^..t  at*! 


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tfl^^^Hi 

174 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


8.  Will  Mr.  Boland  tell  us  that  this  was  for 
the  one  hundred  and  twenty,  but  it  is  not  for 
us.  Peter  said  in  his  sermon  (Acts  2  :  39), 
"  For  the  promise  is  unto  you,  and  to  your  chil- 
dren, and  to  all  that  are  afar  off,  even  as  many 
as  the  Lord  our  God  shall  call." 

9.  Mr.Boland  has  no  room  for  the  baptism  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  and  of  fire  in  his  theory.  His 
philosophy  could  not  admi*-  the  thunder  of  the 
Pentecost. 

BoLANE,  p.  200.  —  "The  idea  that  a  new- 
born soul  may  become  a  mature  Christian  in  a 
moment  is  more  than  most  minds  can  compre- 
hend ;  yet  this  is  the  case  if  '  sanctification  and 
Christian  Perfection  are  synonomous  —  point- 
ing to  the  same  state."* 

Note. —■  Salvation  in  every  stage  is  more 
than  any  mird  can  comprehend.  Mr.  Boland 
claims  that  the  soul  is  entirely  sanctified  when 
regcDerated  ;  if  so,  Christian  perfection  is  ob- 
tained then.  How  does  he  comprehend  this  } 
Holiness  teachers  affirm  that  when  the  soul  is 
regenerated,  saiicti  .cat'  -^  commences;  that 
when  entire  sanctification  has  been  received, 
that  the  soul  is  scripturally  perfect. 

Comment.  —  Mr.  Boland  can  comprehend*  the 
possibility  of  a  man  growing  perfect,  but  he 
cannot  see  how  it  is  possible  for  the  Lord  God 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


175 


to  make  him  perfect  in  a  moment.  That  is, 
man  can  do  in  time  what  God  cannot  do  in  a 
moment. 

BoLAND,  p.  206.  —  "  We  have  seen  that  re- 
generation implies  sanctification  —  *  That  to  be 
born  of  God  is  to  be  changed  from  all  inward 
sinfulness  to  all  inward  holiness.'  " 

Note.  —  i.  Mr.  Boland  has  been  using  this 
definition  of  Mr.  Wesley's  very  frequently  to 
prove  his  points.  2.  We  have  no  objection  to 
him  using  it.  All  it  has  proved  is,  that  Mr. 
Boland  does  not  know  what  he  is  talking  about. 
3.  We  solemnly  protest  against  Mr.  Boland 
changing  the  wording  of  it,  and  then  quoting  it 
as  Mr.  Wesley's  definition.  4.  Mr.  Wesley  said 
"  inwardly  changed,"  which  implied  only  re- 
pentance. 5.  Mr.  Boland  says  "  changed  from 
all  inward  sinfulness,"  and  gives  these  for  Mr. 
Wesley's  own  words.  6.  Mr.  Boland  has  done 
more  than  this  :  he  has  placed  the  word  '*  in- 
ward "  before  holiness  to  make  it  appear  that 
Mr.  Wesley  taught  that,  when  the  sinner  re- 
pented that  he  received  all  "inward  holiness." 
7.  It  is  no  pleasure  to  us,  but  grief,  to  be 
obliged  to  say  that  Mr.  Boland  has  mutilated, 
corrupted,  and  perverted  Mr.  Wesley's  simple, 
plain  teaching. 

Boland,  p.  207.  — '"The  Holy  Spirit  purifies 


i 


i 


176 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


m 


fi 


our  moral  nature,  and  we  are  to  purify  our  lives. 
Hence  Paul  says,  *  Let  us  cleans .  ourselves 
from  all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit,  per- 
fecting holiness  in  the  fear  of  God.*  The  work 
of  '  cleansing  'aid  *  perfecting  holiness  '  is  here 
enjoined  upon  us  as  our  work." 

Note.  —  If  the  filthiness  of  the  flesh  alone 
had  been  mentioned  here,  Mr.  Boland's  inter- 
pretation would  have  been  correct.  The  fact 
that  the  cleansing  implies  spirit  as  well  as 
flesh,  completely  destroys  Mr.  Boland's  theory. 
His  whole  theory  had  to  stand  or  fall  here. 
Blind  with  prejudice,  and  having  become  des- 
perate in  his  efforts  to  support  his  tottering 
fabric,  he  could  not  see  that  the  command  here 
was  to  cleanse  ourselves  from  all  filthiness  of 
spirit  as  well  as  flesh. 

Comment.  —  i.  The  filthiness  of  the  flesh  is 
all  the  sins  done  against  the  body,  —  all  out- 
ward sin. 

2.  The  filthiness  of  the  spirit  is  all  the  sin 
of  the  heart,  —  all  inward  sin, 

3.  To  call  the  filthiness  of  the  spirit  out- 
ward is  to  make  all  salvation  external,  which 
we  fear  Mr.  Boland  means,  if  he  dare  say  so. 

^.  Outward  salvation  and  his  two  natures  at 
war  with  each  other  quite  agree. 

5.  Mr.  Wesley's  note   is  :    "  Let   us  cleanse 


T'J^II 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


177 


-burselves  (this  is  the  latter  part  of  the  exhorta- 
tion proposed  [ch.  6:  i]  and  resumed  verse  14) 
from  all  pollution  of  the  flesh  (all  outward  sin) 
and  of  the  spirit  (all  inward)."  Is  this  what 
Mr.  Bi)land  would  call  giving  up  the  "residue 
theory  of  regeneration"  ?  This  is  Mr.  Wesley's 
version  in  1788. 

6.  Dr.  Adam  Clarke  says  :  [*'  Let  us  cleanse 
ourselves.]  Let  us  apply  to  him  for  the  requi- 
site grace  of  purification,  and  avoid  everything 
in  spirit  and  practice  which  is  opposite  to  the 
doctrine  of  God,  and  which  has  a  tendency 
to  pollute  the  soul.  [Filthiness  of  the  flesh.] 
The  apostle  undoubtedly  means  drunkenness, 
fornication,  adultery,  and  all  such  sins  as  are 
done  immediately  against  the  body  ;  and  by 
filthiness  of  the  spirit,  all  impure  desires,  un- 
iioly  thoughts,  and  polluting  imaginations." 

7.  The  work  of  "cleansing  "  and  "perfecting 
holiness  "  is  undoubtedly  enjoined  upon  us,  and 
so  is  the  whole  work  of  salvation.  It  all  de- 
pends upon  us.  God  does  not  save,  and  will 
not,  only  so  far  as  we  submit  ourseVes  to  him 
to  work  in  us.  He  will  go  no  deeper  in  salva- 
tion than  we  go  in  repentance  and  faith. 

BoLAND,  p.  207.  —  "  No  one  can  '  cleanse ' 
his  moral  nature,  but  he  can  'cleanse'  his  life; 
and  in  so  doing  he  will  be  *  perfecting  holiness. 


^1 


J  >> 


■  m  1 


178 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


Note.  — He  can  do  neither  himself.  "  With- 
out me  ye  can  do  nothing."  No  one  can  cleanse 
either  heart  or  life  but  by  an  all-conquering 
faith  in  the  present  Christ.  By  faith  in  Jesus 
we  cleanse  both  our  hearts  and  lives.  God 
commands  men  to  repent,  but  repentance  is  the 
gift  of  God.  The  principle  or  power  is  directly 
from  God.  The  act  is  human,  supported  by  the 
grace  of  God. 

Comment.  —  We  are  as  positively  commanded 
to  cleanse  our  hearts  as  we  are  to  cleanse  our 
lives.  "  Purify  your  hearts,  ye  double-minded." 
(James  4:  8.)  Dr.  Adam  Clarke  says  :  [Purify 
your  hearts]  '*  Separate  yourselves  from  the 
world,  and  consecrate  yourselves  to  God  :  this 
is  the  true  notion  of  sanctification.  There  are, 
therefore,  two  things  implied  in  a  man's  sancti- 
fication :  I.  That  he  separate  himself  from  evil 
ways  and  evil  companions,  and  devote  himself 
to  God.  2.  That  God  separates  guilt  from  his 
conscience,  and  sin  from  his  soul,  and  this 
makes  him  internally  and  externally  holy."  It 
is  nonsense  to  tell  men  that  God  purifies 
their  hearts  and  they  must  purify  their  lives. 
If  the  life  is  not  pure,  it  is  because  the  heart  is 
not  pure,  Jesus  says :  "  A  good  tree  cannot 
bring  forth  evil  fruit."  "  A  good  man  out  of  the 
good  treasure  of,  the  heart  bringeth  forth  good 
things," 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


179 


BoLAND,  P.  209.  —  "  Every  itinerant  preacher 
is  asked  at  the  door  of  the  Conference,  *  Have 
you  faith  in  Christ  ?  Are  you  going  on  to  per- 
fection ?  Do  you  expect  to  be  made  perfect  in 
love  in  this  life  ?    Are  you  groaning  after  it  ? ' " 

Note.  —  Mr.  Boland  says  :  "  To  bring  the 
Christian  graces  to  the  highest  state  of  maturity 
is  a  work  of  time  to  be  carried  on  to  the  day  of 
Jesus  Christ."     Problem,  p.  198. 

Comment. —  i.  This  is  a  long  time  to  be  com- 
pelled to  groan.  It  would  be  better  for  Mr. 
Boland  to  accept  the  gospel  and  **  Purify  his 
heart  "  by  faith,  lest  he  should  die  before  he  be 
done  groaning. 

Boland,  p.  215. — "A  Christian  life  which 
produces  obedience  is  the  *  higher  life '  to  which 
we  are  called.  A  pure  heart,  followed  by  a  holy 
life,  is  the  grand  end  proposed  in  the  gospel." 

Note. —  Is  there  any  such  thing  as  a  Christian 
life  which  does  not  produce  obedience  ?  What 
Mr.  Boland  says  here  can  imply  nothing  less 
than  that  there  is  such  a  life.  All  that  is  neces- 
sary in  orJjr  to  be  in  the  full  experience  of  the 
"  higher  life "  according  to  Mr.  Boland,  is  to 
obey.  No  one  is  a  Christian  who  does  not  per- 
fectly obey  from  the  time  that  he  is  adopted. 
Therefore  all  are  in  the  "  higher  life  "  from  the 
moment  that  they  were  adopted.     This  is  the 


m 


I    ■■!!    Ti  I 


180 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


only  legitimate  conclusion  which  can  be  arrived 
at  from  Mr.  Boland's  premises. 

BoLAND,  p.  219.  —  *'  Holiness  is  not  simply  a 
state  of  moral  purity,  but  also  the  result  of  right 
actions.  God  makes  us  pure,  but  we  are  to 
make  ourselves  holy." 

Note.  —  Purity  must  be  greater  than  holiness. 
If  holiness  is  greater  than  purity,  then  man 
must  be  greater  than  God  according  to  Mr. 
Boland's  theory.  A  person  is  great  only  accord- 
ing to  the  greatness  of  that  which  he  does.  *'  It 
was  great  to  speak  a  world  from  nought,  but 
greater  to  redeem."  Redemption  is  said  to  be 
God's  greatest  work ;  and  if  man  makes  himself 
holy  he  does  a  greater  work  than  God,  unless 
purity  is  greater  than  holiness. 

Comment.  —  Mr.  Boland  has  seen  only  one  side 
of  this  work  of  holiness.  There  are  passages  of 
Scripture  that  teach  that  it  is  obtained  by  a 
human  effort,  and  there  are  other  passages  which 
teach  that  it  is  wrought  by  the  operation  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  The  union  of  the  two  is  the  whole 
truth.  There  are  passages  of  Scripture  which 
unite  the  human  and  the  divine  work.  "  In 
whom  ye  also  trusted,  after  that  ye  heard  the 
word  of  truth,  the  gospel  of  your  salvation  :  in 
whom  also  after  that  ye  believed,  ye  were  sealed 
with  the  Holy  Spirit  of  promise,  which  is  the 


I 


NOTES  ON  BOLAND. 


181 


}m 


to 


earnest  of  our  inheritance  until  the  redemption 
of  the  purchased  possession,  unto  the  praise  of 
his  glory."  (Eph.  i :  13,  14.)  "That  he  might 
sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with  the  washing  of  water 
by  the  word,  that  he  might  present  it  to  himself 
a  glorious  church,  not  having  spot  or  wrinkle, 
or  any  such  thing;  but  that  it  should  be  holy 
and  without  blemish."  (Eph.  5 :  26,  27.)  How 
would  Mr.  Boland  reconcile  his  teaching  with 
these  verses  of  Scripture,  and  many  others 
which  present  the  divine  work  of  making  man 
holy  ?  His  fabric  totters  and  falls  while  he  may 
stand  and  look  on  amazed. 

Boland,  p.  221.  —  "If  the  church  had  the 
moral  power  of  which  holiness  of  life  is  the  pre- 
cursor, she  might  gird  herself  for  the  conquest 
of  the  world.  Every  member  would  be  trans- 
formed into  a  faithful  Caleb  or  a  believing 
Joshua,  to  sustain  the  uplifted  hands  of  God's 
legates  as  they  lead  the  host  of  Israel  to  battle 
and  to  victory,  until  a  conquered  world  would 
join  in  the  song." 

Note. — Mr  Boland  has  a  strong  wish  that  the 
Church  of  God  "  had  the  moral  power  of  which 
holiness  of  life  is  the  precursor,"  but  cannot 
hope  to  see  this  state  of  things  because  he  sup- 
poses "we  are  to  make  ourselves  holy  "  and  this 
is  "  a  work  of  time  to  be  carried  on  to  the  day 
of  Jesus  Christ." 


f 


182 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


Comment.  —  i.  Regeneration  makes  every 
member  a  faithful  Caleb  or  a  believing  Joshua ; 
those  who  are  not,  are  falling  from  grace.  2.  Caleb 
and  Joshua  were  faithful  and  believing  while  in 
the  wilderness  ;  they  were  ready  to  enter  the 
promised  land.  3.  Their  exhortation  was,  **  Let 
us  go  up  at  once  and  possess  it,  for  we  are  well 
able  to  overcome  it.  4.  They  did  not  say  that 
the  deliverance  from  Egypt  was  enough.  They 
had  been  led  from  the  Red  Sea  to  the  border  of 
Canaan  and  wanted  to  enter.  5.  The  ten  recreant 
spies  were  terrified  at  seeing  the  giants  and  walls, 
and  demoralized  the  people,  who  had  appointed 
them  to  positions  of  trust.  6.  Mr.  Boland  has 
become  demoralized,  and  instead  of  saying  '*  Let 
us  go  up  at  once  and  possess  it,"  he  pleads 
for  the  forty  years  in  the  wilderness. 


"SPIRITUAL  GROWTH. 


»t 


Boland,  p.  270.  —  "  Now  this  state  of  matu- 
rity, of  perfection  in  a  Christian,  is  an  intimation 
that  he  is  approaching  the  divine  mind,  and 
getting  ready  to  go  and  live  with  God." 

Note.  —  Christian  perfection  then,  according 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


183 


ii 


ry 
la; 
leb 

in 
the 

et 
veil 
hat 


and 


to  Mr.  Boland's  statement,  is  absolutely  neces- 
sary in  order  to  be  '*  ready  to  go  and  live 
with  God."  It  being  by  growth,  and  brought 
about  and  completed  by  works,  all  who  die  soon 
after  being  regenerated,  as  a  natural  conse- 
quence, would  of  necessity  be  lost. 

Comment. — How  unlike  the  simple,  plain 
teaching  of  God's  word  :  "  The  oath  which  He 
sware  to  our  Father  Abraham,  that  he  would 
grant  unto  us,  that  we  being  delivered  out  of  the 
hand  of  our  enemies  might  serve  him  without 
fear,  in  holiness  and  righteousness  before  him, 
all  the  days  of  our  life."     (Luke  i  :  73,  74,  75.) 

Mr.  Wesley  says :  "  To  serve  him  without 
fear  —  without  slavish  fear.  Here  is  the  sub- 
stance of  the  great  promise  ;  that  we  shall  be 
always  holy,  always  happy  ;  that  being  delivered 
from  Satan  and  sin,  from  every  unholy  temper, 
we  shall  joyfully  love  and  serve  God  in  every 
thought,  word,  and  work." 

BoLAND,  p.  270.  — "  When  our  growth  in 
grace  and  spiritual  knowledge  is  normal  and  un- 
checked by  sin,  there  comes  a  state  of  spiritual 
life  called  a  mellow  maturity.  The  Christian 
graces  have  ripened  and  the  man  begins  to  feel 
and  act  like  God.  His  heart  grows  soft,  he 
speaks  more  kindly,  a  rich  autumnal  tint  over- 
spreads his  thoughts  and  acts." 


}i)^ 


184 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


I 


Note.  —  Mr.  Boland  has  positively  affirmed 
that  it  is  absurd  to  state  that  this  experience 
can  be  reached  by  a  single  act  of  faith.  We 
affirm  that  to  say  that  Jesus  could  not  perform 
this  work  in  a  moment,  but  that  a  man  may 
grow  into  the  experience  if  he  has  time  enough 
and  improves  it,  is  a  repudiation  of  the  merit 
and  purpose  of  the  atonement  of  Jcsus  Christ. 

Comment.  —  Mr.  Boland  talks  as  if  the  Holy 
Ghost  did  not  ripen  the  Christian  graces.  Are 
there  any  Christian  graces  which  are  not  the 
fruit  of  the  Spirit  ?  Did  the  Apostles  obtain 
their  maturity  by  growth,  or  by  the  special 
manifestations  of  the  Holy  Ghost }  There  is 
no  such  teaching  in  the  acts  of  the  Apostles  as 
Mr.  Boland  asks  us  to  accept  as  the  "  Problem 
of  Methodism."  Where  are  we  taught  in  the 
Scripture  that  we  must  reach  "  mellow  matu- 
rity "  before  we  "  begin  to  feel  and  act  like 
God  >  "  The  man  who  does  not  feel  and  act 
like  God  is  not  born  of  the  Spirit. 

Boland,  p.  275. — "And  Paul  prayed  *that 
ye,  being  rooted  and  grounded  in  love,  may  be 
able  to  comprehend  with  all  the  saints  what  is 
the  breadth  and  length,  and  depth  and  height ; 
and  to  know  the  love  of  Christ,  which  passeth 
kiiowledge,  that  ye  might  be  filled  with  al'  the 
fulness  of  God.'  " 


NOTES   ON    nOLANtJ. 


185 


Note.  —  The  question  here  is,  Does  the  child 
of  God  grow  into  this  experience,  or  does  he 
seek  it  by  faith?  Mr.  Boland's  theory  must 
stand  or  fall  here.  He  may  say  one  thing  and 
we  may  say  another.  To  the  law  and  the  tes- 
timony. 

Comment.  —  This  prayer  of  Paul  is  found  in 
(Eph.  3  :  i8,  19).  The  twentieth  verse  explains 
how  this  experience  is  to  be  received,  not  by 
growth,  not  by  works,  but  "  according  to  the 
power  that  worketh  in  us."  It  is  a  filling  —  to 
"be  filled  with  all  the  fulness  of  God,"  and  not 
an  outward  growth,  nor  an  inward  growth. 
It  is  the  incoming  of  the  fulness  of  light,  love, 
wisdom,  holiness,  power,  and  glory  of  God  in 
the  soul. 

BoLAND,  p.  276.  —  **  If  we  ask  the  Spirit  to 
help  our  infirmities,  enlighten  our  minds,  ele- 
vate our  thoughts,  purify  our  desires,  aiid  in- 
tensify our  faith,  then  every  groan  and  sigh 
will  be  carried  up  and  whispered  by  the  Spirit 
in  the  ear  of  Mercy,  and  soon  the  answer 
returns  laden  with  the  richest  blessings  of 
heaven." 

Note.  —  Mr.  Boland  has  denied  by  this  state- 
ment all  that  he  has  previously  said  against  a 
"  second  change." 

He  says  on  page  28  :  "  Regeneration  is  a  com- 


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NOTES    ON    nOLAND. 


plcte  work  in  its  nature,  and  implies  sanctifica- 
tion,  or  moral  purity."  On  page  29  he  says  it 
"  is  instantaneous  and  complete,  admitting  of 
no  degrees."  On  page  2 19  he  says  :  "  God  makes 
us  pure,  but  we  are  to  make  ourselves  holy." 
And  now  he  tells  us  that  if  we  ask  for  the 
help  of  the  Spirit,  that  he  will  "  purify  our  de- 
sires," "  and  soon  the  answer  returns  laden  with 
the  richest  blessings  of  heaven."  He  has  not 
only  acknowledged  that  there  is  sin  in  believers, 
the  thing  he  condemns  and  for  which  purpose 
he  wrote  his  book,  but  he  tells  us  how  to  be 
saved  from  this  sin. 


I 


m 


-NOW   OF   THE   THINGS   WHICH   WE 
HAVE  SPOKEN,  THIS  IS  THE  SUM." 

BoLAND,  P.  309.  —  "  There  is  not  a  passage 
of  Scripture  which  Mr.  Wesley  uses  in  describ- 
ing the  state  of  the  sanctified  that  he  does  not, 
somewhere,  apply  to  the  state  of  the  regener- 
ated. All  thai  he  gives  to  the  one  he  take« 
from  the  other ;  hence,  according  to  Mr.  Wes- 
ley, regeneration  and  sanctification  are  coeta- 


neous. 


it 


NOTES   ON    ROLAND. 


187 


Note.  —  Mr.  Wesley  always  taught  that 
sanctification  commeiiees  when  the  soul  is  re- 
generated. He  also  always  taught  that  when 
The  soul  is  entirely  sanctified,  that  Christian 
perfection  is  reached.  He  taught  for  fifty 
years  that  both  of  these  experiences  are  ob- 
tained by  faith. 

Comment.  —  i.  Mr.  Boland  must  have  known 
that  Mr.  Wesley  made  a  distinction  between 
sanctification  and  entire  sanctification.  It  is 
impossible  for  any  person  to  enter  the  Metho- 
dist ministry  without  knowing  that  Mr.  Wesley 
made  a  clear  distinction  between  these  points. 

2.  He  wrote  his  book  under  the  pretence 
that  he  did  not  know  that  Mr.  Wesley  made 
any  difference.  He  has  labored  hard  to  conceal 
this  fact,  so  that  he  could  makp  it  appear  that 
Mr.  Wesley's  teaching  did  not  harmonize. 

3.  It  is  true  that  Mr.  Wesley  uses  the  same 
passages  of  Scripture  to  describe  regeneration 
and  sanctification.  It  is  not  true  that  he  uses 
the  same  passages  of  Scripture  when  speaking 
of  entire  sanctification.  Mr.  Boland  says  that 
Mr.  Wesley  does,  but  he  has  not  attempted  to 

prove  it. 

Boland,  p.  309.  — ^^  Mi.  Wesley  relied  on  the 
(so-called)  experiences  of  men  for  his  'second 
change  theory  of  sanctification '  and  not  on  the 
word  of  God." 


'  U  .l"i-J(.J-l»I'— W'J'-»^»^(I'V 


■  u 


188 


KOTES    ON    HOLAND. 


Note. — This  is  positively  untrue.  The 
plain  facts  prove  the  opposite.  It  is  hard  to 
'believe  that  a  minister  of  Mr.  Boland's  standing 
did  not  know  better.  Most  members  of  the 
Methodist  Church  have  not  read  Mr.  Wesley's 
works,  and  would  naturally  believe  that  this 
statement  is  true  because  Mr.  Boland  says 
so. 

Comment.  —  After  Mr.  Wesley  was  regener- 
ated he  examined  his  experience  by  the  word 
of  God,  and  discovered  his  need  of  a  "  second 
change."  We  will  give  his  own  words  in  full 
here  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  may  not  have 
recourse  to  his  journals  :  *' '  Examine  yourselves, 
whether  ye  be  in  the  faith.*  Now  the  surest 
test  whereby  we  can  examine  ourselves,  whether 
we  be  indeed  in  the  faith,  is  that  given  by  St. 
Paul :  '  If  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new 
creature  :  Old  things  are  passed  away  ;  behold, 
all  things  are  become  new.' 

"  First ;  his  judgments  are  new  ;  his  judg- 
ment of  himself,  of  happiness,  of  holiness.  "He 
judges  himself  to  be  altogether  fallen  short  of 
the  glorious  image  of  God  :  To  have  no  good 
thing  abiding  in  him  ;  but  all  that  is  corrupt 
and  abominable :  in  a  word,  to  be  wholly  earthly, 
sensual,  and  deviiisli,  — -  a  motley  mixture  of 
beast  and  devil. 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


189 


"Thus,  by  the  grace  of  God  in  Christ,  I  judge 
of  myself.  Therefore  I  am,  in  this  respect,  a 
new  creature. 

''  Again  :  His  judgment  concerning  happiness 
is  new.  He  would  as  soon  expect  to  dig  it  out 
of  the  earth,  as  to  find  it  in  riches,  honor,  pleas- 
ure (so-called),  or  indeed  in  the  enjoyment  of 
any  creature.  He  knows  there  can  be  no  happi- 
ness on  earth,  but  in  the  enjoyment  of  God, 
and  in  the  foretaste  of  those  '  rivers  of  pleasure 
which  flow  at  his  right  hand  for  evermore.' 

"  Thus,  by  the  grace  of  God  in  Christ,  I  judge 
of  happiness.  Therefore  I  am,  in  this  respect, 
a  new  creature.  Yet  again  :  His  judgment  con- 
cerning holiness  is  new.  He  no  longer  judges 
it  to  be  an  outward  thing  :  to  consist  either  in 
doing  no  harm,  in  doing  good,  or  in  using  the 
ordinances  of  God.  He  sees  it  is  the  life  of 
God  in  the  soul ;  the  image  of  God  fresh 
stamped  on  the  heart ;  an  entire  renewal  of  the 
mind  in  every  temper  and  thought,  after  the 
likeness  of  him  that  created  it. 

*'  Thus,  by  the  grace  of  God  in  Christ,  I  judge 
of  holiness.  Therefore  I  am,  in  this  respect,  a 
new  creature. 

"  Secondly  :  His  designs  are  new.  It  is  the 
design  of  his  life,  not  to  heap  up  treasures  upon 
earth,  not  to  gain  the  praise  of  men,  not  to  in- 


t 


190 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


m 


1 


dulgc  the  desires  of  the  flesh,  the  desire  of  the 
eye,  or  the  pride  of  life  ;  but  to  regain  the 
image  of  God  ;  to  have  the  life  of  God  again 
planted  in  his  soul  ;  and  to  be  *  renewed  after 
his  likeness,  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness.' 

"  This  by  the  grace  of  God  in  Christ,  is  the 
design  of  my  life.  Therefore  I  am,  in  this  re- 
spect, a  new  creature. 

"  Thirdly  :  His  desires  are  new  ;  and,  indeed, 
the  whole  train  of  his  passions  and  inclinations. 
They  are  no  longer  fixed  on  earthly  things. 
They  are  now  set  on  the  things  of  heaven.  His 
love  and  joy  and  hope,  his  sorrow  and  fear,  have 
all  respect  to  things  above.  They  all  point 
heavenward.  Where  his  treasure  is,  there  is 
his  heart  also. 

"  I  dare  not  say  I  am  a  new  creature  in  this 
respect.  For  other  desires  often  arise  in  my 
hear*- ;  but  they  do  not  reign.  I  put  them  all 
under  my  feet,  *  through  Christ  which  strength- 
eneth  me .'  Therefore  I  believe  he  is  creating 
me  anew  in  this  also  ;  and  that  he  has  begun, 
though  not  finished,  his  work. 

"Fourthly:  His  conversation  is  new.  It  is 
always  'seasoned  with  salt,'  and  fit  to  'minister 
grace  to  the  hearers.'  So  is  mine,  by  the  grace 
of  God  in  Christ.  Therefore,  in  this  respect, 
I  am  a  new  creature. 


B 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


191 


"  Fifthly :  His  actions  are  new.  The  tenor 
of  his  life  singly  points  at  the  glory  of  God. 
All  his  substance  and  time  are  devoted  thereto. 
Whether  he  eats  or  drinks,  or  whatever  he  does, 
it  either  springs  from,  or  leads  to,  the  love  of  God 
and  man. 

"  Such,  by  the  grace  of  God  in  Christ,  is  the 
tenor  of  my  life.  Therefore,  in  this  respect,  I 
am  a  new  creature. 

**  But  St.  Paul  tells  us  elsewhere,  that  *  the 
fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  love,  peace,  joy,  long-suffer- 
ing, gentleness,  meekness,  temperance.'  Now 
although,  by  the  grace  of  God  in  Christ,  I  find 
a  measure  of  some  of  these  in  myself ;  namely, 
of  peace,  long-suffering,  gentleness,  meekness, 
temperance  ;  yet  others  I  find  not.  I  cannot 
find  in  myself  the  love  of  God,  or  of  Christ. 
Hence  my  deadness  and  wanderings  in  public 
prayer :  Hence  it  is,  that  even  in  the  holy  com- 
munion I  have  frequently  no  more  than  a  cold 
attention. 

"Again:  I  have  not  that  joy  in  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  no  settled,  lasting  joy.  Nor  have  I 
such  a  peace  as  excludes  the  possibility  either 
of  fear  or  doubt.  When  holy  men  have  told 
me  I  had  no  faith,  I  have  often  doubted  whether 
I  had  or  no.  And  those  doubts  have  made  me 
very  uneasy,  till  I  was  relieved  by  prayer  and 
tiie  holy  Scriptures. 


lif.  .3 


i^ 


192 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


"Yet,  upon  the  whole,  although  I  have  not 
yet  that  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  nor  the  full 
assurance  of  faith,  much  less  am  I,  in  the  full 
sense  of  the  words,  'in  Christ  a  new  creature:' 
I  nevertheless  trust  that  I  have  a  measure  of 
faith,  and  am  '  accepted  in  the  beloved. '  I  trust 
'the  handwriting  that  was  against  me  is  blotted 
out ; '  and  that  I  am  ' reconciled  to  God'  through 
his  Son."     (Journal,  Vol.  I.,  p.  i6i.) 

BoLAND,  p.  310. —  "'The  Scriptures  are  silent 
on  the  subject.  The  point  is  not  determined, 
at  least  not  in  express  terms,  in  any  part  of  the 
oracles  of  God.'  And  it  is  a  remarkable  fact 
that  some  of  the  men  upon  whose  testimony  Mr. 
Wesley  accepted  the  'second  change'  theory 
soon  after  professed  a  'third  blessing,'  or 
change,  which  lifted  them  up  'above  tempta- 
tion.'" 

Note. —  i.  Mr.  Boland  gives  this  quotation 
from  Mr.  Wesley's  Sermon  on  Patience,  Works, 
Vol.  VI.,  p.  490. 

2.  He  quotes  these  words  from  this  sermon 
to  make  it  appear  that  Mr.  Wesley  says  that 
the  Scriptures  are  silent  on  the  doctrine  of  en- 
tire sanctification. 

3.  No  person  could  truthfully  say  that  Mr. 
Wesley  hinted  such  a  thing,  in  the  sermon 
where  Mr.  Boland  found  these  words. 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


193 


4.  What  Mr.  Wesley  does  say  in  clear,  posi- 
tive terms  is,  that  the  **  Scriptures  are  silent 
on  "  whether  this  work  of  grace  is  gradual  or 
instantaneous. 

The  following  is  the  paragraph  that  contains 
the  words,  and  all  who  read  it  may  see  tiiat 
Mr.  Boland  has  deliberately  misrepresented  Mr. 
Wesley's  teaching  on  this  vital  point  :  "  But  it 
may  be  inquired,  in  what  manner  does  God  work 
this  entire,  this  universal  change  in  the  soul  of 
a  believer ;  this  strange  work,  which  so  many 
will  not  believe,  though  we  declare  it  unto  them  ? 
Does  he  work  it  gradually,  by  slow  degrees  ;  or 
instantaneously,  in  a  moment  .-*  How  many  are 
the  disputes  upon  this  head,  even  among  the 
children  of  God  !  And  so  there  will  be,  after  all 
that  ever  was,  or  ever  can  be  said  upon  it.  For 
many  will  still  say,  with  the  famous  Jew,  Now 
persuadebis,  etiamsi  persuaseris  :  that  is,  '  Thou 
shalt  not  persuade  me,  though  thou  dost  per- 
suade me.'  And  they  will  be  the  more  resolute 
herein,  because  the  Scriptures  are  silent  upon 
the  subject,  because  the  point  is  not  deter- 
mined, at  least  not  in  express  terms,  in  any  part 
of  the  oracles  of  God.  Every  man  therefore 
may  abound  in  his  own  sense,  provided  he  will 
allow  the  same  liberty  to  his  neighbor  ;  provided 
he  will  not  be  angry  at  those  who  differ  from 


m 


I 


194 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


his  opinion,  nor  entertain  hard  thoughts  con- 
cerning them.  Permit  me  likewise  to  add  one 
thing  more  :  Be  the  change  instantaneous  or 
gradual,  see  that  you  never  rest  till  it  is  wrought 
in  your  own  soul,  if  you  desire  to  dwell  with 
God  in  glory. 

"This  premised,  in  order  to  throw  what  light 
I  can  upon  this  interesting  question,  I  will 
simply  relate  what  I  have  seen  myself  in  the 
course  of  many  years.  Four  or  five  and  forty 
years  ago,  when  I  had  no  distinct  views  of  what 
the  Apostle  meant  by  exhorting  us  to  *  leave 
the  principles  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  and  go 
on  to  perfection,'  two  or  three  persons  in  Lon- 
don, whom  I  knew  to  be  truly  sincere,  desired 
to  give  me  an  account  of  their  experience.  It 
appeared  exceeding  strange,  being  different 
from  any  that  I  had  heard  before,  but  exactly 
similar  to  the  preceding  account  of  entire  sanc- 
tification." 

Sermon  on  Patience,  Works,  Vol.  VI.,  p. 
490. 

BoLAND,  P.  310. — "So  far  as  the  'second 
change  theory  of  sanctification '  is  concerned, 
Mr.  Weslev  has  taken  it  out  of  the  doctrines 
taught  in  the  Word  of  God,  and  left  it  to  stand 
or  fall  upon  the  testimony  of  men.  Is  this  the 
reason  why  those  who  profess  sanctification  as 


i.ti-.t 


I 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


195 


a  *  second  change  '  differ  from  other  good  men 
and  women  in  nothing  except  in  *  testifying '  ?  " 

Note. — We  need  not  say  that  this  is  be- 
neath the  dignity  of  the  Christian  ministry. 
We  would  be  disappointed  in  a  converted  Hot- 
entot  who  would  make  such  an  expression.  We 
hope  that  this  is  not  what  he  means  by  "  mellow 
maturity." 

Comment.  —  i.  We  are  pleased  that  Mr. 
Boland  has  acknowledged  that  Mr.  Wesley  took 
the  doctrine  of  entire  sanctification  from  the 
Bible. 

2.  We  deny  that  he  left  it  to  stand  or  fall 
upon  the  testimony  of  men.  When  Mr.  Boland 
said  this  he  contradicted  his  former  statements, 
such  as  :  *'  A  few,  and  only  a  few,  know  some- 
thing of  the  magnitude  of  the  trouble  and  con- 
fusion it  has  introduced  into  the  theology  and 
experience  of  American  Methodism."  (Prob- 
lem, p.  70.) 

3.  In  his  "  Plain  Account  of  Christian  Per- 
fection," '*  Sermons  on  Spiritual  Life,"  ''  Notes 
on  the  New  Testament,"  "Letters,"  "Conver- 
sations, etc.,"  he  left  a  body  of  divinity  on 
entire  sanctification  that  the  gates  of  hell  have 
not  been  able  to  prevail  against. 

4.  Mr.  Wesley  found  the  experience  of  entire 
sanctification  taught  in  the   Bible,  and   devel- 


:'.#%'\ 


i.:iii 


i 


I' 


\\: 


l^i' 


196 


NOTES   ON    IJOLAND. 


oped  his  system  of  theology  from  the  com- 
mands, exhortations,  prayers,  and  promises,  and 
it  has  not  been  moved  by  scurrilous  thrusts  of 
opposers,  or  destroyed  by  the  extravagances 
of  enthusiasts. 

BoLAND,  v.  311.  —  "But  as  he  changed  his 
views  on  sanctification  from  saying  it  was  a 
*  progressive  work  carried  on  by  slow  degrees,' 
to  say  it  was  'an  instantaneous  deliverance 
from  all  sin,*  so  he  finally  rejected  the  '  residue 
theory  of  regeneration  *  so  far  as  to  cut  it  out 
of  the  Articles  of  Faith  sent  over  to  America 
in  1784." 

Note.  —  i.  We  have  shown  on  p.  90  that 
Mr.  Wesley  expunged  certain  clauses  from  the 
Ninth  Article,  because,  as  it  stood,  it  implied 
that  God  would  damn  men  for  Adam's  sin,  and 
that  inbred  sin  would  remain  in  believers  until 
death. 

2.  Mr.  Boland  repeatedly  states  that  Mr. 
Wesley  gave  up  the  "  progressive  work  of 
sanctification,"  but  does  not  say  when,  where, 
or  for  what  purpose. 

Comment.  —  He  would  have  us  believe  : 
I.  That  Mr.  Wesley  taught  in  the  former  part 
of  his  ministry  that  sanctification  is  a  progres- 
sive work,  and  only  progressive. 

2.  That  in  the  latter  part  of  his  ministry  he 


NO'lTS   ON    nOLAND. 


197 


gave    up  propjrcssivc  sanctification  and  taught 
that  it  was  instantaneous. 

3.  If  we  had  not  Mr.  Wesley's  works  to  refer 
to  we  might  conclude  that  Mr.  Boland  is  cor- 
rect. 

4.  Mr.  Wesley's  writings  inform  us  that  he 
taught  in  his  early  ministry  that  sanctification 
was  both  progressive  and  instantaneous.  "  Our 
second  Conference  began  Aug.  i,  1745.  The 
next  morning  we  spoke  of  sanctification  as 
follows  :  — 

"  Q.  When  does  inward  sanctification  begin  ? 

*' A.  In  the  moment  a  man  is  justified.  (Yet 
sin  remains  in  him,  yea,  the  seed  of  all  sin,  till 
he  is  sanctified  throughout.)  From  that  time 
a  believer  gradually  dies  to  sin,  and  grows  in 
grace. 

"  Q.  Is  this  ordinarily  given  till  a  little 
before  death  ? 

"  A.  It  is  not  to  those  who  expect  it  no 
sooner. 

*'  Q.  But  may  we  expect  it  sooner  ? 

'*A.  Why  not?" 

5.  In  the  conference  of  1758  the  following 
question  was  asked,  and  the  answer  below  was 
given : 

"  Q.  Is  this  death  to  sin,  and  renewal  in  love, 
gradual  or  instantaneous  ? 


198 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


**A.  A  man  may  be  dying  for  some  time,  yet 
he  does  not,  properly  speaking,  die  till  the  in- 
stant the  soul  is  separated  from  the  body ;  and 
in  that  instant  he  lives  the  life  of  eternity.  In 
like  manner,  he  may  be  dying  to  sin  for  some 
time,  yet  he  is  noi  dead  to  sin  till  sin  is  sepa- 
rated from  his  soul ;  and  in  that  instant  he 
lives  the  full  life  of  love." 

BoLAND,  p.  312,  —  ''And  for  the  fact  that  he 
was  disposed  to  accept,  without  closely  analyz- 
ing, any  good  man's  experience,  there  is  every 
evidence  to  believe  that  the  'residue  theory' 
and  the  *  second  change  theory '  would  never 
have  had  a  place  in  his  theology." 

Note.  —  This  is  a  deliberate  prevarication. 
We  learn  by  Mr.  Boland's  quotations  from 
Mr.  Wesley's  sermons,  that  he  has  read  the 
sermons  where  Mr.  Wesley  tells  us  that  he 
carefully  examined,  and  closely  analyzed,  the 
experience  of  professors  of  entire  sanctification, 
before  he  accepted  them. 

I.  The  following  sentences  from  Mr.  Wesley's 
sermon  on  "  Patience "  will  give  all  necessary 
light  on  this  point.     (Works,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  490.) 

"  I  desired  all  those  in  London  who  made  the 
same  profession  to  come  to  me  all  together  at 
the  Foundery  that  I  might  be  thoroughly  satis- 
fied.     I   desired   that   man   of    God,    Thomas 


NOTES    ON    nOLAND. 


199 


Walsh,  to  give  us  the  meeting  there.  When 
we  met,  first  one  of  us,  and  then  the  other,  asked 
them  the  most  searching  questions  we  could 
devise.  They  answered  every  one  without  hesi- 
tation, and  with  the  utmost  simplicity,  so  that 
we  were  fully  persuaded  they  did  not  deceive 
themselves.  In  the  years  1759,  1760,  1761 
and  1762,  their  numbers  multiplied  exceedingly, 
not  only  in  London  and  Bristol,  but  in  various 
parts  of  Ireland  as  well  as  England.  Not  trust- 
ing to  the  testimony  of  others,  I  carefully  ex- 
amined most  of  them  myself  ;  and  in  London 
alone  I  found  six  hundred  and  fifty-two  mem- 
bers of  our  society  who  were  exceedingly  clear 
in  the  experience,  and  of  whose  testimony  I 
could  see  no  reason  to  doubt." 

BoLAND,  p.  31 5.  —  "  '  Well,'  says  Mr.  Wesley, 
*what  more  than  this  can  be  implied  in  entire 
sanctification  }  It  does  not  imply  any  new  kind 
of  holiness.  Let  no  man  imagine  this.  From 
the  moment  we  are  justified  till  we  give  up  our 
spirits  to  God,  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law, 
.  .  .  Love  is  the  sum  of  Christian  sanctification. 
It  is  the  one  kind  of  holiness  which  is  found 
only  in  various  degrees  in  believers  who  are  dis- 
tinguished by  St.  John  into  little  children,  young 
men,  and  fathers.  The  difference  between  one 
and  the  other  properly  lies  in  the  degree  of 
love.'  " 


Ml  f 


I 


200 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


Note.  —  i.  Mr.  Boland  mutilated  three  of 
Mr.  Wesley's  sermons  and  selected  that  which 
suited  his  purpose  to  make  an  extended  defini- 
tion of  regeneration,  which  fills  more  than  two 
pages  of  his  book. 

2.  In  one  of  these  sermons  Mr.  Wesley 
shows  that  the  experience  of  entire  sanctifica- 
tion  differed  only  in  degree  from  regeneration. 

3.  Mr.  Wesley  stated,  /irsi,  that  the  love  was 
the  same,  only  different  in  degree :  second^  that 
the  soul  that  is  regenerated  has  the  fruit  of  the 
Spirit,  humility,  meekness,  etc.,  but  positively 
affirms  that  these  are  mixed  with  evil. 

4.  The  following  sentences  are  taken  from 
the  sermon  Mr.  Boland  quotes  from.  Works, 
Vol.  VI.,  p.  489.  "■  In  the  same  proportion  as 
he  grows  in  faith,  he  grows  in  holiness  ;  he  in- 
creases in  love,  lowliness,  meekness,  in  every 
part  of  the  image  of  God  ;  till  it  pleases  God, 
after  he  is  thoroughly  convinced  of  inbred  sin, 
of  the  total  corruption  of  his  nature,  to  take  it 
all  away  ;  to  purify  his  heart  and  cleanse  him 
from  all  unrighteousness  ;  to  fulfil  that  promise 
which  he  made  first  to  his  ancient  people,  and 
in  them  to  the  Israel  of  God  in  all  ages." 

5.  Mr.  Boland  has  taken  what  Mr.  Wesley 
says  about  the  positive  element  in  these  two 
experiences  to  try  to  make  it  appear  that  Mr. 


11 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


201 


Wesley  teaches  that  the  only  difference  in  the 
two  experiences  is  in  the  degree  of  love.  These 
repeated,  deliberate  mutilations  of  Mr.  Wesley's 
writings  by  Mr.  Boland  are  astonishing.  We 
did  not  think  that  a  minister  of  the  gospel  could 
be  guilty  of  doing  such  a  thing. 

BoLAND,  p.  317.  —  "  But  is  the  babe,  the  new- 
born soul,  sanctified  'wholly'.?  Certainly  :  for 
he  has  that  *  love  which  is  the  sum  of  Christian 
sanctification.'  Moreover,  Mr.  Wesley  says : 
*To  forgive  us  our  sins'  is  to  take  away  the 
guilt  of  them,  and  to  'cleanse  us  from  all  un- 
righteousness is  to  purify  our  souls  from  every 
kind  and  degree  of  it.'  *  If  any  sin  remain,  we 
are  not  cleansed  from  all  sin ;  if  any  unrighteous- 
ness remain  in  the  soul,  it  is  not  cleansed  from 
all  unrighteousness."  (See  Notes  i  John  i, :  9, 
and  Sermon  XL.) 

Note. —  i.  Will  Mr.  Boland  state  that  he 
did  not  know  that  Mr.  Wesley  teaches  in  both 
of  these  instances  that  the  soul  is  entirely 
cleansed  from  all  sin  when  the  "  second  change  " 
is  wrought  ? 

2.  He  must  acknowledge  that  he  did  not 
know  what  might  be  known  by  a  school-boy,  or 
plead  guilty  of  deliberately  perverting  Mr.  Wes- 
ley's plain  teaching,  to  support  his  theory, 
which  vanishes  before  the  truth. 


■i\ 


I 


«iS) 


tn 


i.t    < 


202 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


Comment.  —  Would  Mr.  Boland  have  us  be- 
lieve that  St.  John  wrote  this  epistle  to  sinners, 
backsliders,  and  bastards  ;  and  not  to  the  sons 
and  daughters  (  "  God  ? 

3.  Mr.  Boland  says  himself  on  the  preceding 
page  that  they  were  children,  young  men,  and 
fathers,  that  "the  same  love  which  is  in  the 
'fathers'  is  in  the  Mittle  children  ;'  "  "the  dif- 
ference is  not  in  kind  but  degree ;  "  "  for  the 
babe  in  Christ  to  become  a  man  in  Christ,  he 
must  have  not  simply  a  *  second  blessing  '  but  a 
blessing  every  day  ; "  "  difference  of  capacity 
between  the  babe  and  the  father  is  the  result 
of  growth." 

4.  On  this  page  he  desires  to  make  it  appear 
that  the  forgiveness  and  cleansing  has  to  do, 
not  with  entire  sanctification,  but  with  regener- 
ation. On  one  page  they  are  children,  young 
men,  and  fathers,  and  all  that  is  necessary  for 
the  children  to  become  fathers  is  growth  :  on 
the  next  page  they  are  all  backsliders  and  bas- 
tards, needing  regeneration  and  not  a  "second 
change." 

5  Mr.  Boland  quotes  from  Mr.  Wesley's 
sermon  on  Christian  Perfection  to  prove  his 
statement.  In  this  sermon  Mr.  Wesley  states 
emphatically :  Jirsf,  in  what  sense  Christians 
are   not ;  and  second,  in  what  sense  they   are 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


203 


perfect.  He  says  that  those  who  are  born  of 
God  are  "  So  far  perfect  as  not  to  commit  sin." 
**  This  is  the  glorious  privilege  of  every  Chris- 
tian ;  yea,  though  he  be  but  a  babe  in  Christ. 
But  it  is  only  of  those  who  are  strong  in  the 
Lord,  *  and  have  overcome  the  wicked  one,'  or 
rather  of  those  who  have  known  him  that  is  from 
the  beginning,  that  it  can  be  affirmed  they  are 
in  such  a  sense  perfect,  as.  Secondly,  to  be  freed 
from  evil  thoughts  and  evil  tempej's.'' 

6.  Mr.  Wesley  concludes  in  this  sermon  that 
Christians  who  receive  the  second  work  of  grace 
are  freed  from  evil  thoughts  and  evil  tempers.  In 
the  paragraph  that  Mr.  Boland  has  quoted  from, 
Mr.  Wesley  positively  states  that  to  teach  that 
(i  John  i:  7)  refers  to  justification  is  to  teach 
salvation  by  works. 

7.  From  the  paragraph  below  Mr.  Boland  took 
the  sentence  to  make  Mr.  Wesley  say  that  the 
soul  is  entirely  cleansed  when  reg'enerated. 
"  Exactly  agreeable  to  this  are  his  words  in  the 
first  chapter  of  this  Epistle,  (verse  5  etc.).  *  God 
is  light,  and  in  him  is  no  darkness  at  all.  If 
we  walk  in  the  light,  —  we  have  fellowship  one 
with  another,  and  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his 
Son  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin.'  And  again  :  '  If 
we  confess  our  sins,  he  is  faithful  and  just  to 
forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to  cleanse  us  from  all 


it,  M 


I*    iS^I 


I! 


204 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


unrighteousness.'  Now,  it  is  evident,  the  apostle 
here  also  speaks  of  a  deliverance  wrought  in  this 
world.  Y\n'  be  saith  not,  the  blood  of  Christ 
will  cleanse  at  the  hour  of  death,  or  in  the  day 
of  judgment,  but,  it  *  cleanseth  '  at  the  time 
present,  'us,'  living  Christians,  '  from  all  sin.' 
And  it  is  equally  evident,  that  if  any  sin  remain, 
we  are  not  cleansed  from  all  sin  :  If  any  un- 
righteousness remain  in  the  soul,  it  is  not  cleansed 
from  all  unrighteousness.  Neither  let  any  sinner 
against  his  own  soul  say,  that  this  relates  to 
justification  only,  or  the  cleansing  us  from  the 
guilt  of  sin  ;  First,  because  this  is  confounding 
together  what  the  Apostle  clearly  distinguishes, 
who  mentions  first,  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and 
then  to  cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness. 
Secondly,  because  this  is  asserting  justification 
by  works,  in  the  strongest  sense  possible  ;  it  is 
making  all  inward  as  well  as  outward  holiness 
necessarily  previous  to  justification.  For  if  the 
cleansing  here  spoken  of  is  no  other  than  the 
cleansing  us  from  the  guilt  of  sin,  then  we  are 
not  cleansed  from  guilt,  that  is,  are  not  justified, 
unless  on  condition  of  'walking  in  the  light,  as 
he  is  in  the  light.'  It  remains,  then,  that  Chris- 
tians are  saved  in  this  world  from  all  sin,  from 
all  unrighteousness  ;  that  they  are  now  in 
such  a  sense   perfect,  as  not  to  commit   sin, 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


205 


and  to  be  freed  from  evil  thoughts  and  evil 
tempers." 

BoLAND,  p.  318.  —  "  It  is  clear  that  no  little 
of  Mr.  Wesley's  confusion  and  *  complex  ideas 
of  sanctification  '  grew  out  of  the  fact  that  he 
confounds  sanctification  with  Christian  per- 
fection." 

Note.  —  i.  Mr.  Boland  has  confounded  sancti- 
fication with  Christian  perfection  and  accuses 
Mr.  Wesley  of  doing  the  same.  2  Mr.  Wesley 
always  distinctly  discriminated  between  sancti- 
fication and  entire  sanctification.  3.  His  clear 
teaching  is  that  when  the  soul  is  regenerated 
that  sanctification  commences  ;  and  when  entire 
sanctification  has  been  wrought,  that  the  soul  is 
in  the  enjoyment  of  Christian  Perfection. 

Boland,  p.  320.  —  "  While  moral  purity  is 
the  result  of  a  divine  act,  holiness  in  a  moral 
creature  is  the  result  of  right  action  —  that  is, 
God  can  make  us  pure ;  but  beyond  this  he  can- 
not make  us  holy." 

Note.  —  i.  This  is  a  bold  contradiction  of  the 
clear  teaching  of  the  word  of  God  in  its  com- 
mands, prayers,  exhortations,  and  promises,  to 
the  children  of  God. 

2.  Zacharias  says  :  "  That  he  would  grant  us, 
that  we  being  delivered  out  of  the  hand  of  our 
enemies  might  serve  him  without  fear,  in  holi- 


y  'I 


I  >i 


20G 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


ness,  and  righteousness  before  him,  all  the  days 
of  our  life."     (Luke  i  :  74,  75.) 

3.  Paul  says  :  "  And  that  ye  put  on  the  new 
man,  which  after  God  is  created  in  righteousness 
and  true  holiness." 

4.  Mr.  Boland  says  that  God  "cannot  make 
us  holy."  St.  Paul  says  :  "  Christ  also  loved  the 
Church,  and  gave  himself  for  it  ;  that  he  might 
sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with  the  washing  of  water 
by  the  word,  that  he  might  present  it  to  himself 
a  glorious  church,  not  having  spot,  or  wrinkle 
or  any  such  thing  ;  but  that  it  should  be  holy 
and  without  blemish."  (Eph.  5  :  25,  26,  27.) 
Paul  says  again  :  "  Let  us  cleanse  ourselves  from 
all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit  perfecting 
holiness  in  the  fear  of  God."  (2  Cor.  7  :  i.) 
Holiness  is  perfected  by  the  child  of  God  being 
cleansed  from  all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit. 
God  only  can  cleanse  a  man's  spirit  from  all 
filthiness. 

BoLAND,  p.  323.  — "  Now  this  sermon  on 
*  Perfection '  is  in  such  perfect  accord  with  Mr. 
Wesley  's  *  Notes  on  the  New  Testament,'  and 
with  his  definition  of  the  new  birth,  and  in  such 
harmony  with  the  theory  of  the  divine  life  advo- 
cated in  these  pages,  that  if  we  were  to  add  it  as 
the  closing  chapter,  one  who  is  not  familiar  with 
it  would  never  suspect  that  its  author  ever  held 


^IP^ 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


207 


the  *  residue  theory  of  regeneration,'  or  the 
'  second  change  theory  of  sanctification,'  while 
not  a  few  who  are  teaching  both  of  these  *  theo- 
ries '  would  read  the  chapter  without  ever  sus- 
pecting that  Mr.  Wesley  was  the  author." 

Note.  —  i.  Mr.  ±3oland  accepts  Mr.  Wesley's 
*'  Notes  on  the  New  Testament  "  because  they 
were  revised  in  1788. 

2.  How  is  it  that  he  could  not  quote  from  them, 
to  prove  his  points,  without  mutilating  them  as 
he  did  Dr.  Clarke's  Commentary  and  the  Word 
of  God. 

3.  Mr.  Wesley  states  positively  in  this  sermon 
as  we  have  already  shown,  that  there  is  sin  in 
believers,  that  evil  thoughts  and  evil  desires  are 
destroyed  by  a  subsequent  change.  This  change 
he  has  always  called  entire  sanctification.  Mr. 
Wesley  has  been  careful  to  show  in  this  sermon 
on  '  Perfection  '  that  the  soul  is  not  purged  from 
all  sin  when  regenerated,  and  Mr.  Boland  has 
positively  said  that  he  did  not  show  this. 

4.  In  every  case  Mr.  Boland  has  mutilated 
Mr.  Wesley's  definition  of  the  new  birth  to 
make  it  suit  his  purpose  ;  we  do  not  wonder 
that  he  did  so,  seeing  that  he  has  been  bold 
enough  to  mutilate  the  Word  of  God. 

We  have  no  doubt  that  it  would  be  difficult  to 
know  Mr.  Wesley's  sermon,  if  Mr.  Boland  had 


\'  ' 


'r^. 


m 


1^  • 

i.^  -i 


208 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


added  "  it  as  the  closing  chapter  "  to  his  book.  It 
would  have  been  so  changed  by  him  to  suit  his 
purpose,  that  Mr.  Wesley  would  not  know  it 
himself. 

BoLANi),  v.  324. —  "  No  state  of  grace  can  be 
reached  in  this  life  where  our  natural  sensibilities 
may  not  be  stirred  and  excited  toward  forbid- 
den objects ;  but  there  is  no  sin  in  this  excite- 
ment, provided  there  is  no  concurrence  of  the 
will." 

Note.  —  According  to  Mr.  Boland's  theory  : 
I.  The  natural  sensibilities  have  dominion  over 
the  moral,  even  in  the  highest  state  of  grace. 

2.  Temptation  is  not  addressed  to  our  moral 
sensibilities,  but  to  our  natural  appetites. 

3.  Temptation  does  not  come  from  any  super- 
natural agency,  but  from  natural  objects. 

4.  Satan  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  Fall,  and 
has  nothing  to  do  with  temptation. 

5.  There  is  no  such  person  as  Satan,  the  Fall 
having  been  effected  through  natural  objects. 

Comment. — To  lay  down  his  premises  to 
reason  to  his  preconceived  conclusion,  he  found  it 
necessary  :  i.  To  deny  that  the  Fall  was  effected 
in  the  moral  element  of  man's  nature.  2.  To 
make  all  subsequent  temptation  come  from  nat- 
ural objects,  to  the  natural  sensibilities.  3.  To 
conclude  that  the   fall  was    entirely  a   natural 


fit 

ii 


NOTES   ON    BOLA#ID. 


209 


result  —  that  natural  appetites  craved  for  a  nat- 
ural object  until  the  will  consented  —  that  God 
made  man  with  these  strong  natural  sensibili- 
ties. 4.  To  obviate  the  necessity  for  a  '*  second 
change/'  by  affirming  that  all  evil  desires, 
thoughts,  tendencies,  and  propensities  are  only 
the  natural  sensibilities  craving  for  natural 
objects. 

BoLAND,  p.  324.  —  **  While  temptation  neces- 
sarily implies  the  power  to  yield,  yet  the  very 
laws  of  the  mind  which  make  a  temptation 
severe  to  the  young  convert  will  react  in  favor 
of  him  who  stands  firm  for  a  long  time." 

Note. — This  is  true  according  to  Mr.  Boland's 
theory,  but  the  theory  being  wrong  this  must  of 
necessity  be  wrong  also.  Certainly,  if  there  is 
no  devil,  if  there  is  no  diabolical  agency,  if  man 
did  not  fall  in  spirit,  if  there  is  no  agency  to 
make  an  appeal  to  the  moral  element  of  man's 
nature,  if  temptation  is  nothing  more  than  the 
natural  appetites  such  as  hunger,  etc.,  craving  for 
food,  Mr.  Boland's  theory  will  stand. 

Comment.  —  We  are  not  all  Atheists.  Some 
of  us  believe  in  God  the  Father,  the  Son,  and 
the  Holy  Ghost.  We  believe  the  Bible.  God 
says  :  "  Now  the  serpent  was  more  subtle  than 
any  beast  of  the  field  which  the  Lord  God  had 
made.     And  he  said  unto  the  woman,  Yea,  hath 


210 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


m 


■ » 


'm> 


I 


God  said,  Ye  sliall  not  cat  of  every  tree  of  the 
garden  ?  And  the  woman  said  unto  the  serpent, 
We  may  eat  of  tlio  fruit  of  the  trees  of  the  gar- 
den :  Hut  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree  which  is  in  the 
midst  of  the  garden,  God  hath  said,  Ye  shall  not 
eat  of  it,  neither  shall  ye  touch  it,  lest  ye  die. 
And  the  serpent  said  unto  the  woman,  Ye  shall 
not  surely  die  :  For  God  doth  know  that  in  the 
day  ye  eat  thereof,  then  your  eyes  shall  he 
opened,  and  ye  shall  be  as  gods,  knowing  good 
and  evil."  (Gen.  3  :  i,  2,  3,  4,  5.) 

Again  :  "  And  I  will  put  enmity  between  thee 
and  the  woman,  and  between  thy  seed  and  her 
seed  :  it  shall  bruise  thy  head,  and  thou  shalt 
bruise  his  heel."     (Gen.  3  :  15.) 

Again  :  "And  the  Lord  said  unto  Satan, 
Behold,  all  that  he  hath  is  in  thy  pov/er  ;  only 
upon  himself  put  not  forth  thine  hand."  **  And 
Satan  answered  the  Lord,  and  said.  Skin  for  skin, 
yea,  all  that  a  man  hath  will  he  give  for  his  life. 
Hut  put  forth  thine  hand  now,  and  touch  his 
bone  and  his  flesh,  and  he  will  curse  thee  to  thy 
face.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Satan,  Behold, 
he  is  in  thine  hand  ;  but  save  his  life.  So  went 
Satan  forth  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and 
smote  Job  with  sore  boils  from  the  sole  of 
his  foot  unto  his  crown.     (Job  i  :  12  ;  2  :  4,  5 

6,  7) 


H 


kt^AUH 


B«i 


NOTES    ON    liOLANO. 


211 


Again  :  "  And  Satan  stood  up  against  Israel, 
and  provoked  David  to  number  Israel."  (i 
Chron.  21  :  i.) 

Again  : "  And  he  showed  me  Joshua  the  high 
priest  standing  before  the  angel  of  the  Lord, 
and  Satan  standing  at  his  right  hand  to  resist 
him."     (Zech.  3  :  i.) 

Again  :  "Then  was  Jesus  led  up  of  the  Spirit 
into  the  wilderness  to  be  tempted  of  the  devil." 
(Matt.  4  :  I.) 

Again  :  "  Then  entered  Satan  into  Judas  sur- 
named  Iscariot,  being  of  the  number  of  the 
twelve."     (Luke  22  :  3.) 

Again  :  "  Satan  himself  is  transformed  into 
an  angel  of  light."     (2  Cor.  11  :  14.) 

Again  :  "  Be  sober,  be  vigilant ;  because  your 
adversary  the  devil,  as  a  roaring  lion,  walketh 
about,  seeking  whom  he  may  devour."  (i  Peter 
5:8.) 

He  is  the  Prince  and  God  of  this  world  ;  he 
hinders  the  gospel  ;  he  works  lying  wonders ; 
and  he  is  the  father  of  lies.  The  following 
terms  are  used  in  Scripture  to  describe  his  char- 
acter :  ** presumptuous,"  *•  proud,"  "powerful," 
"wicked,"  "malignant,"  "subtle,"  "deceitful," 
"fierce  and  cruel." 

A  man  who  could  ignore  and  deny  the  exist- 
ence of  this  supernatural  diabolical  agency  as 


212 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


Mr.  Boland  has  done  all  through  his  book  is  a 
dangerous  man  in  a  community.  His  theory  of 
temptation  could  not  be  different  to  harmonize 
with  the  rest  of  his  errors. 

BoLAND,  p.  325. —  "  The  perfection,  or  *  higher 
life,*  to  which  wc  are  called  as  justified  believers 
is  not  the  result  of  a  *  second '  and  separate  act 
of  cleansing,  but  it  is  reached  by  a  true  unfold- 
ing of  oui  moral  and  spiritual  powers,  together 
with  the  integrity  of  character  which  is  super- 
induced by  a  retroaction  upon  the  activity 
involved  in  resisting  temptation  successfully." 

Note.  —  The  perfection  that  Mr.  Boland  ad- 
vocates is  entirely  external.  It  is  not  wrought 
in  the  soul  by  the  sanctifying  merit  and  energy 
of  the  blood  of  Jesus,  through  the  operation  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  but  by  a  course  of  strict  living, 
and  successful  resistance  of  temptation. 

Comment.  —  i.  Mr.  Boland  teaches  that  this 
perfection  is  the  result  of  the  faithful  perform- 
r.nce  of  duty,  and  the  firm  resistance  of  tempta- 
tion "for  a  long  time." 

2.  St.  Paul  teaches  that  it  is  the  result  of  the 
cleansing  blood  of  Jesus  by  the  operation  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  in  the  heart  of  the  regenerated. 
He  says  :  **Now  the  God  of  peace,  that  brought 
again  from  the  dead  our  Lord  Jesus,  that  great 
shepherd  of  the  sheep,  through  the  blood  of  the 


r' 


•"m 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


213 


everlasting  covenant,  make  you  perfect  in  every 
good  work  to  do  his  will,  working  in  you  that 
which  is  well  pleasing  in  his  sight,  through 
Jesus  Christ."  "To  the  end  he  may  establish 
your  hearts  unblamable  in  holiness  before  God, 
even  oar  Father,  at  the  coming  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  with  all  his  saints."  (Heb.  13  :  20, 
21  ;  I  Thes.  3  :  13.) 

BoLAND,  p.  325.  —  "  When  the  moral  strength 
and  reflex  influence  which  follows  right  action 
have  reached  a  point  that  cancels  the  same 
natural  consequences  of  wrong  action,  so  that 
we  are  *  rooted  and  established  '  in  the  principles 
of  righteousness  —  then  we  have  reached  that 
holiness  and  perfection  which  is  required  of  us: 
and  which  is  the  exalted  privilege  held  up  to 
every  believer." 

Note.  —  This  is  Mr.  Boland's  perfection  : 
"  reflex  influence  which  follows  right  action  has 
reached  a  point  that  cancels  the  same  natural 
consequences  of  wrong  action."  That  is,  he 
has  reached  Christian  perfection  when  his  good 
deeds  are  greater  than  his  bad  deeds,  —  when 
he  does  more  good  than  he  does  harm.  What 
a  definition  of  Christian  perfection  ! 

Comment.  —  i.  We  would  not  consider  that 
the  man  who  is  born  of  the  Spirit  could  do  less 
than  Mr.  Boland  speaks  of  persons  doing  wlio 


214 


NOTES   ON   BOLAND. 


i 

r 

I 


■P 


have  obtained  Christian  perfection  according  to 
his  theory.  We  would  expect  as  much  of  the 
awakened  sinner.  Mr.  Wesley  did  more  before 
he  was  regenerated. 

2.  All  who  are  born  of  God  have  power : 
not  to  commit  sin ;  to  do  their  whole  dut}; 
toward  God  and  man  ;  to  walk  in  the  light  as 
God  is  in  the  light  ;  to  walk  in  all  the  com- 
mandments of  God  blameless;  to  subdue  all 
inward  and  outward  sin ;  to  overcome  all  temp- 
tations from  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil; 
to  live  as  humble,  strict,  and  pure  a  life  as  any 
who  have  obtained  the  experience  of  Christian 
perfection. 

3.  Mr.  Boland's  trouble  did  not  originate 
with  the  doctrine  of  Christian  perfection. 
With  all  others  who  have  trouble,  it  is  regard- 
ins:  resreneration.  His  definition  of  Christian 
perfection  would  be  an  exceedingly  weak  defini- 
tion of  regeneration  ;  and  his  definition  of  re- 
generation is  nothing  more  than  morality.  Of 
to  use  his  own  phrase  "Moral  purity,"  according 
to  heathen  moral  philosophers  (from  whom  he 
adopted  the  term)  it  means  no  more  than  a  rule 
of  honest  living. 

BoLAND,  p.  326.  —  "If  God  in  his  wisdom 
calls  the  justified  soul  into  eternity  as  soon  as 
he  is  regenerated,  there  is  no  necessity  for  a 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


215 


'  second  change  *  to  prepare  him  for  heaven  ; 
but  being  *  renewed  in  the  image  of  God '  and 
created  according  to  the  divine  pattern  in  up- 
Tightness  and  moral  purity." 

Note.  —  Mr.  Boland  supposes  that  he  has 
made  a  strong  point  here.  Inbred  sin  blinds, 
and  when  it  has  full  sway  (as  it  must  have  in 
those  who  deny  that  there  is  such  a  thing)  it 
will  pervert  the  plain  word  of  God. 

Comment.  —  i.  The  passage  of  Scripture  that 
Mr.  Boland  has  quoted  here,  to  prove  his  point, 
is  strong  proof  for  the  opposite. 

2.  As  Mr.  Boland  has  quoted  it  in  his  corrupt, 
perverted,  and  mutilated  form  it  proves  nothing. 

3.  St.  Paul  says  :  "  That  ye  put  off  concern- 
ins:  the  former  conversation  the  old  man,  which 
is  corrupt  according  to  the  deceitful  lusts  ;  and 
be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  your  mind  ;  and  that 
ye  put  on  the  new  man,  which  after  God  is  cre- 
ated in  righteousness  and  true  holiness." 

4.  Those  who  are  not  very  familiar  with  this 
passage  of  Scripture  would  not  know  it  in  Mr. 
Boland's  book. 

Boland,  p.  327.  —  "The  cause  of  so  little 
holiness  in  the  church  is  because  so  many  yield 
to  temptation  and  live  the  most  of  their  time  in 
a  state  of  condemnation." 

Note.  —  i.  That  many  yield  to  temptation. 


fei 


f 


i 


21 G 


NOTES   ON    nOLAND. 


i>    ii!; 


no  one  will  deny.  2.  Any  person  should  know 
that  this  is  not  the  only  cause  of  so  little  holi- 
ness in  the  church. 

Comment.  —  i.  Mr.  Boland  tells  us,  that  God 
cannot  make  us  holy,  that  holiness  is  the  re- 
sult of  growth.  2.  Again,  he  tells  us  that  this 
is  "a  work  of  time  to  be  carried  on  to  the  day 
of  Jesus  Christ."  3.  Now  he  tells  us  that  "  the 
cause  of  so  little  holiness  in  the  church  is  be- 
cause so  many  yield  to  temptation."  4.  How 
could  there  be  any  holiness  in  the  church,  when 
it  is  not  to  be  sought  by  faith,  but  by  growth, 
and  this  growth  is  "  a  work  of  time  to  be  car- 
ried on  to  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ  "  ? 

Boland,  p.  327.  — "The  conviction  of  inbred 
sin  which  projfessing  Christians  frequently  have 
is  not  the  remains  of  moral  corruption  left  in 
them  at  the  new  birth,  but  the  corruption  re- 
sulting from  wrong  action  after  justification." 

Note.  —  By  what  law  in  philosophy  or  psy- 
chology does  Mr.  Boland  make  what  he  has 
positively  called  **  the  conviction  of  inbred  sin," 
"  the  corruption  resulting  from  wrong  action 
after  justification  "  }  Is  this  another  example 
of  what  Mr.  Boland  calls  the  "  nicer  distinc- 
tions" of  mental  science  ? 

Comment.  —  i.  We  arc  persuaded  that  any 
minister  of  the  gospel,  whether  very  learned  or 


NOTES   ON   130LAND. 


217 


comparatively  illiterate,  should  be  able  to  define 
the  difference  between  conviction  for  inbred  sin 
and  conviction  for  actual  sin. 

2.  Those  who  cannot  should  refrain  from 
offering  a  criticism,  and  from  condemning  the 
doctrine  they  promised  to  preach. 

3.  Any  Christian  teacher  should  be  able  to 
explain,  that  we  may  have  a  deep,  pungent  con- 
viction of  inbred  sin,  and  at  the  same  time  be 
perfectly  free  from  condemnation. 

4.  We  are  strongly  inclined  to  think,  that 
those  who  know  nothing  about  this  kind  of  ex- 
perience are  in  carnal  security  if  they  are  pro- 
fessing to  be  Christians. 

BoLAND,  p.  328.  —  "  Every  time  they  felt  any 
excitement  of  their  sensibilities  under  entice- 
ment, they  believed  they  had  sinned,  whereas 
this  excitement  was  the  essence  of  temptation." 

Note.  —  This  is  not  the  essence  of  tempta- 
tion, but  the  result  of  yielding  to  temptation. 
The  word  yielding  is  not  strong  enough  here. 
It  does  not  express  the  original  meaning  of  en- 
ticed. 

Comment.  —  i.  Mn  Wesley  says  the  original 
meaning  of  the  word  enticed  is  :  "  In  the  prog- 
ress of  the  temptation  catching  at  the  bait." 
(See  Notes  on  James  i  :  13.)  2.  Mr.  Boland  has 
said  that  those  who  read  Mr.  Wesley's  ''  Notes 


218 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


on  the  New  Testament  "  would  never  suspect 
that  the  author  ever  held  the  '*  residue  theory 
of  regeneration."  3.  On  (James  i  :  13.)  Mr. 
Wesley  says  :  "  We  are  therefore  to  look  for 
the  cause  of  every  sin,  in  (not  out  of)  ourselves. 
Mr.  Boland  says:  *' His  *  opposing  element  in 
the  sensibility' — is  the  very  essence  of  temp- 
tation." (Problem,  p.  62.)  4.  Mr.  Boland 
should  either  except  Mr.  Wesley's  note  here, 
or  take  back  all  that  he  has  said  about  him 
giving  up  the  "  residue  theory  of  regeneration  " 
in  the  year  1784. 

Boland,  p.  328.  —  **  Another  class  accepting 
the  doctrine  of  *  sin  in  believers  '  have  lived  for 
years  in  a  state  of  condemnation,  dreaming  that 
all  was  right,  because  they  had  not  denied  the 
faith,  committing  sin  daily,  but  charging  it  all 
to  the  '  old  man  '  w^hom  they  intended  to  put  to 
death  by  and  by." 

Note.  - —  Who  ?  We  suppose  he  means  a 
number  of  his  brethren  in  the  ministry.  This 
is  deliberate  slander.  It  is  more.  He  means 
that  some  of  his  brethren  preach  it,  and  lead 
their  people  into  that  kind  of  an  experience. 
This  is  what  he  calls  the  "  Problem  of  Method- 
ism "  that  he  is  discussing. 

Comment.  —  i.  Our  standards  are  clear  and 
emphatic  on  the  doctrine  that  all  who  are  born 


1 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


219 


of  God  do  not  commit  sin.  2.  When  Mr.  Boland 
says  •* another  class"  he  undoubtedly  means 
some  of  his  brethren  in  the  ministry.  3.  Does  he 
tell  us  that  some  of  his  brethren  are  commit- 
ting sin  daily  ?  He  might  as  well  say  so,  as  write 
thus  about  their  flocks  over  which  the  Holy 
Ghost  has  made  them  overseers. 

Boland,  p.  329.  —"  If  the  reflex  influence  of 
the  first  wrong  act  was  such  as  to  pervert  and 
corrupt  Adam's  entire  nature,  it  is  reason- 
able to  suppose  that  if  the  young  convert  would 
resist  and  overcome  every  temptation  from  the 
moment  of  conversion,  he  would  not  be  very 
long  in  reaching  a  moral  equilibrium  where  the 
reflex  influence  of  right  action  would  overcome 
the  force  of  old  habits,  so  as  to  establish  him  in 
the  truth  and  give  him  all  the  the  fruits  of  the 
Spirit  and  graces  of  the  gospel.  Is  not  this 
Christian  perfection  ? " 

Note. — This  is  the  foundation  of  all  Mr. 
Boland's  errors.  Adam  did  not  fall.  He  com- 
mitted one  wrong  act  and  the  reflex  influence 
of  that  act  corrupted  his  nature.  The  serpent 
did  not  infuse  his  own  proud  spirit  into  him  to 
effect  his  fall,  according  to  Mr.  Boland's  theory. 
God  made  him  with  two  natures  at  war  with 
each  other,  and  "  these  two  opposing  principles 
were  shut  up  together  in  our  twofold  nature  as 


I 


220 


NOTES   ON    nOLAND. 


9-,i' 


it  came  from  the  hand  of  its  Creator,  and 
they  are  destined  to  renew  the  conflict  with 
every  new  temptation  during  life."  Then  ac- 
cording to  Mr.  Roland's  theory,  Satan  was  not 
the  origin  of  the  fall  of  man,  but  God,  who 
made  him  with  the  "  two  opposing  principles." 
Comment.  —  i.  Mr.  Boland  says  here  that  all 
that  is  necessary  to  obtain  Christian  perfection 
is  to  "  overcome  the  force  of  old  habits." 

2.  All  who  are  born  of  the  Spirit  "  overcome 
the  force  of  old  habits  ; "  therefore  all  who 
are  regenerated  have  Christian  perfection  ;  this 
is  the  conclusion  from  Mr.  Boland's  premises. 

3.  The  spirit  of  God  immediately  enters  the 
soul  who  is  regenerated.  He  abides  there  the 
constant  guest  of  the  heart.  Does  he  remain 
in  the  heart  and  not  bear  fruit  ?  Mr.  Boland 
says  that  it  is  the  reflex  influence  of  right  action 
that  produces  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit,  and  not 
the  operation  of  the  Holy  Ghost  on  the  heart, 
purging  it  and  filling  it  with  the  perfect  love. 

4.  All  that  is  necessary  for  the  young  con- 
vert to  reach  "a  moral  equilibrium  "  is  to  "re- 
sist and  overcome  every  temptation,"  and  he 
asks  **  Is  not  this  Christian  perfection  ?'* 

5.  Those  who  are  born  of  God  have  reached 
**  a  moral  equilibrium."  They  have  all  that  Mr. 
Boland  teaches  for  Christian  perfection.     They 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


221 


have  power  not  to  yield  to  temptation.  They 
can  control  all  tendencies  toward  evil  in  their 
natures. 

6.  Reflex  influence  is  the  whole  of  the  fall 
in  Mr.  Boland's  theory,  and  consequently  it  is 
his  only  way  of  reaching  Christian  perfection. 
There  being  no  room  in  his  theory  for  admit- 
ting that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  an  evil  princi- 
ple or  a  good  principle,  he  can  see  no  necessity 
for  anything  being  destroyed  or  anything  in- 
fused. 

7.  His  theory  is  antagonistic  to  the  teaching 
of  St.  Paul  who  says  :  -  Having  therefore,  breth- 
ren, boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest  by  the 
blood  of  Jesus,  by  a  new  and  living  way,  which 
he  hath  consecrated  for  us,  through  the  vail, 
that  is  to  say,  his  flesh ;  and  having  an  high 
priest  over  the  house  of  God ;  Let  us  draw  nelr 
with  a  true  heart  in  full  assurance  of  faith, 
having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil  con- 
science, and  our  bodies  washed  with  pure  water." 
(Heb.  10:  19,  20,  21,  22.) 

8.  His  reflex  influence  theory  is  the  direct 
opposite  of  the  teaching  of  St.  John  who  says : 
"  Herein  is  our  love  made  perfect,  that  we  may 
have  boldness  in  the  day  of  judgment :  because 
as  he  is  so  are  we  in  this  world.  There  is  no 
fear  in  love  ;  but  perfect  love  casteth  out  fear : 


Ji 


r- 

Vii 


•A 


V   '  \ 


222 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


Because  fear  hath  torment.  He  that  feareth  is 
not  made  perfect  in  love."  (i  John  4:  17,  18.). 
9.  The  Lord  Jesus  describes  him  and  his  re- 
flex influence  theory  where  he  says  :  "  Ye  make 
clean  the  outside  of  the  cup  and  platter,  but 
within  they  are  full  of  extortion  and  excess. 
Thou  blind  Pharisee,  cleanse  first  that  which  is 
within  the  cup  and  platter,  that  the  outside  of 
them  may  be  clean  also."     (Matt.  23  :  25,  26.) 


INCONGRUITIES. 


I.  Who  will  harmonize  the  following  descrip- 
tions of  Jesus  which  Mr.  Boland  gives  in  his 
book  ? 


I.  "  It  was  in  this 
way  that  the  tempta- 
tion of  Christ  caused 
suffering ;  he  suffered 
from  the  force  of  de- 
sire. Though  there  was 
no  hesitation  whether  to 
obey  or  not,  no  strife  in 
the  will,  yet  in  the  act 
of   mastery  there  was 


2.  "Like  the  blue 
arch  above  us,  the  char- 
acter of  Christ  rises  as 
we  rise,  lifting  itself 
up  into  unattainable 
heights  of  purity  and 
moral  grandeur.  When 
we  shall  have  studied 
his  nature  through  end- 
less ages,  and  shall  have 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


223 


pain.  There  was  sclf- 
clenial ;  there  was  obedi- 
ence at  the  expense  of 
tortured  natural  feeling; 
*  Jesus  suffered,  being 
tempted ! '  "  The  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  himself 
had  a  susceptibility  of 
feeling  the  power  of 
enticement  to  sin." 
(Problem,  p.  64.) 


passed  from  one  height 
of  glory  to  a  higher 
still,  the  highest  sum- 
mit that  we  shall  ever 
reach  will  only  give  us 
a  more  enlarged  view  of 
his  boundless  perfection 
and  infinite  holiness." 
(Problem,  p.  283.) 


2.  What  school  of  philosophers  will  harmon- 
ize the  following  utterances  of  Mr.  Boland  con- 
cerning the  Church  at  Corinth  > 


I.  ^*The  fact  that 
Paul  speaks  unto  them, 
or  had  spoken  unto 
them,  *  as  babes  in 
Christ,'  and  *fed  them 
wi-th  milk  and  not  with 
meat,  because  they 


2.  "  The  world  fixes 
its  standard  of  religion 
not  so  much  by  the 
Bible  and  pulpit,  as  by 
the  effect  it  produces 
upon  the  life  and 
character  of  Christians. 


were  not  able  to  bear  The  preacher  may  ex- 


it,' does  not  prove  that 
these  'carnal  men' 
were  in  a  justified 
state ;  for  the  context 
shows  that  the  state  of 


patiate  Sabbath  after 
Sabbath  upon  the  bless- 
ings and  influences  of 
the  gospel ;  but  what 
will  this  avail  if  he  is 


224 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


^■'i:.i 


u  *'■ 


II 


babyhood  refers  to 
knowledge  instead  of 
moral  condition." 
•'  Does  not  that  settle 
the  question  that  these 
'carnal  men,'  or,  if 
you  prefer,  these  *  natu- 
ral men,'  were  in  a 
state  of  spiritual  death 
and  condemnation  ?" 
(Problem,  p.  loi,  102.) 


surrounded  by  a  world- 
ly-minded and  time 
serving  and  an  unholy 
church  ?  Now  if  every 
minister  could  say  to 
his  people,  as  Paul  did 
to  the  Corinthians,  'Ye 
arc  our  epistle  known 
and  read  of  all  men,' 
then  the  mouths  of  the 
gainsayers  would  be 
closed.  (Problem,  p. 
300.) 


3.  Which  of  these  definitions  of  Christian 
perfection  given  by  Mr.  Boland  are  we  to 
accept  ? 


I.  "  It  is  a  'journey, 
a  pilgrimage,  a  voyage, 
a  warfare,  a  race.'  It 
is  'likened  to  a  grain  of 
mustard-seed,  which 
grew  into  a  tree  ;'  to 
the  '  leaven  which 
leavens  the  whole 
lump;'  t  o  a  '  babe  ' 
which  is  to  become  a 
'man  in  Christ  Jesus.' 


2.  "  When  we  have 
so  subjected  our  entire 
being  to  the  will  of 
Christ  that  a  state  of 
perfect  moral  equilib- 
rium is  reached,  when 
the  moral  strength  and 
reflex  influence  which 
follows  right  action 
have  reached  a  point 
that  cancels  the   same 


NOTES   ON    BOLAND. 


225 


But  as  in  nature,  there 
comes  a  state  of  matu- 
rity, and  that  state  of 
maturity  is  called 
Christian  perfection." 
<* Every  change  ef- 
fected by  growth  re- 
lates to  quantity  or  to 
size;  every  change 
effected  by  cleansing 
relates  to  quality  or  to 
kind.  To  be  cleansed 
from  all  sin  is  a  work 
to  be  done  by  the 
Spirit,  acting  directly 
upon  the  soul  ;  but  to 
bring  the  Christian 
graces  to  the  highest 
state  of  maturity  is  a 
work  of  time  to  be 
carried  on  to  the  day 
of  Jesus  Christ." 
(Problem,  p.  195,  197.) 


natural  consequences 
of  wrong  action,  so 
that  we  are  *  rooted  and 
established'  in  the 
principles  of  right- 
eousness —  then  we 
have  reached  that  holi- 
ness and  perfection." 
"  While  the  *  perfec- 
tion '  herein  defined  is 
of  necessity  the  work 
of  time,  yet  who  can 
tell  how  soon  it  may 
be  reached  ?  The  fact 
is,  when  we  come  to 
understand  the  philos- 
ophy of  a  holy  life,  we 
see  that  it  may  be 
reached  much  sooner 
than  most  Christians 
suppose."  (Problem, 
p.  325,  328.) 


4.  Mr.  Boland  mutilated  the  following  passage 
of  Scripture  to  make  it  teach  that  the  body  of 
sin  is  destroyed  when  the  soul  is  regenerated. 
He  has  used  it  15  times  in  this  corrupted  form 
to  sustain  his  unscriptural  theory. 


I   * 


226 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


,VJ 


i 


Sf'  Paul. 

I.  "That  the  body 
of  sin  might  be  de- 
stroyed." 


Mr.  Boland. 

2.  **  The  body  of  sin 
is  destroyed." 

"  Destroys  the  body 
of  sin." 


5.  Mr.  Boland  perverted  the  following  passage 
of  Scripture,  and  has  used  it  in  this  mutilated 
form  18  times  to  support  his  theory.  His  object 
was  to  make  St.  Paul  teach  that  the  "  old  man" 
\s  p?it  ^^^and  the  "  new  man  "  put  on  when  the 
soul  is  regenerated. 

St.  Paul. 

I.  "That  ye  put  off 
concerning  the  former 
conversation  the  old 
man,  which  is  corrupt 
according  to  the  deceit- 
ful lusts  ;  a  n  d  be  re- 
newed in  the  spirit  of 
your  minds  ;  and  that 
ye  put  on  the  new  man, 
which  after  God  i  s 
created  in  righteous- 
ness and  true  holiness." 
(Eph.  4 :  22,  23,  24.) 

6.  Mr.  Boland  has  used  the  definition  below 
6  times  as  Mr.  Wesley  wrote  it  in  his  "  Notes 
on  the   New   Testament."     He    thought   then 


Mr.  Boland. 

2.  "  In  the  new  birth 
we  are  *  renewed  in 
the  image  of  him  who 
created  us,'  we  'put 
off  the  old  man,  which 
is  corrupt,  and  put  on 
the  new  man,  which  is 
created  according  to 
the  [original]  divine 
pattern  in  uprightness 
and  moral  purity. 
(Problem,  p.  216.) 


>    M 


NOTES    ON    BOLAND. 


227 


that  it  was  such  a  strong  definition  of  regeneration 
that  it  implied  holiness.  Before  he  finished  his 
book  he  discovered,  probably  by  Mr.  Wesley's 
note  on  (Matt.  3 :  8),  that  it  was  only  a  defini- 
tion of  repentance.  Then  he  changed  it,  and  used 
it  in  the  latter  part  of  his  book  to  teach  holiness. 


Mr.  Wesley. 

I.  **  To  be  born  again 
is  to  be  inwardly 
changed  from  all  sin- 
fulness to  all  holiness." 
(Note  on  John  3:  7.) 


Mr.  Boland. 

2.  **To  be  born  of 
God  is  to  be  changed 
from  all  inward  sinful- 
ness to  all  inward  holi- 
ness. "  (Problem,  p.  206.) 


7.  Mr.  Boland  has  used  the  following  passage 
of  Scripture  in  this  perverted  form  12  times  to 
prove  that  the  body  of  sin  is  destroyed  when 
the  soul  is  regenerated. 


Mr.  Wesley. 

I.  "The  Law  of  the 
Spirit  (that  is,  the 
gospel)  hath  freed  me 
from  the  law  of  sin  and 
death  —  that  is,  the 
Mosaic  dispensation." 
(Note  on  Rom.  8  :  2.) 


Mr,  Boland. 

2.  *'This  *  course  of 
carnal  thinking,'  this 
'inherited  tendency  to 
sin,'  is  what  Paul  calls 
*the  law  of  sin  and 
death,'  from  which  he 
affirms,  *  the  law  of  the 
Spirit  of  life  in  Christ 
Jesus  makes  us  free.'" 
(Problem  p.  41.) 


MP 


TESTIMONIALS. 


Fro7n  the  Altar  to  the  Upper  Room,  by  Rev.  R.  C. 
Horner,  B.  O.,  is  a  work  comprised  of  four  smaller 
books.  It  is  a  plain,  cogent,  scriptural  and  heart 
searching  presentation  of  the  gieat  doctrines  of 
Reconciliation,  Consecration,  Entire  Holiness  and 
the  Baptism  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  It  will  be  impos- 
sible for  any  candid  reader,  be  he  seeker  or  possessor 
of  the  experiences  therein  dealt  with,  to  peruse  these 
pages  without  receiving  grqat  and  abiding  spiritual 
benefit.  It  is  a  fire-baptized  book  and  will  move 
every  individual  who  reads  it. 

Rev.  J.  V.  McDowell,  B.  A. 

I  have  read  From  the  Altar  to  the  Upper  Room, 
with  pleasure  and  profit.  It  is  strong  and  practical 
and  specially  refreshing  to  one  who  wants  to  l«ftrn 
the  way  of  usefulness. 

The  thoughts  on  real  Consecration  are  to  the 
point,  and  vigorous.  So  much  is  being  said  on  the 
subject,  that  is  weak  and  paralyzing,  and  falls  so  far 
short  of  Bible  ideas,  that  this  part  of  the  work  seems 
most  timely. 


230 


TESTIMONIALS. 


The  seeker  cannot  fail  to  be  helped  by  the  New 
Testament  idea  of  Reconciliation  which  has  been  so 
much  overlooked,  and  the  worker  will  be  helped  to 
discover  the  secret  of  successful  labor. 

Rev.  p.  H.  Sproule,  B.  A. 


WoLFORD  Circuit,  April  26,  1893. 

I  have  found  great  profit  From  the  Altar  to  the 
Upper  Roofn.  It  is  quickening  spiritually,  clear  and 
instructive,  and  whilst  food  for  the  cultured,  can  be 
also  comprehended  by  all.  It  should  be  in  every 
household. 

Rev.  R.  Eason, 

Pastor. 


nHMM 


